The United Arab Emirates’ fourth GlobalEye surveillance aircraft departed Saab’s Linkoping modification site on 18 April, the Swedish company has announced.
Representing the UAE’s penultimate example of the Bombardier Global 6000-based airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) asset, the aircraft follows previous examples delivered in 2020 and 2021.
“I am proud to celebrate the fourth delivery of our world-leading AEW&C solution GlobalEye to the UAE and to continue supporting its operational availability and mission success,” Saab chief executive Micael Johansson says.
“The high delivery pace in the GlobalEye programme is testament to our unique in-house capability which means we control the entire process, from development to integration,” he adds.
Three of the Saab Erieye ER radar-equipped aircraft – which can perform simultaneous surveillance of airborne, maritime and land-based threats – were ordered by the UAE at the Dubai air show in 2015. A follow-on deal to boost the fleet size to an eventual five aircraft was announced in 2021.
Saab in January 2024 announced its receipt of a $190 million contract to support the UAE’s GlobalEye fleet until 2026.
Sweden also has ordered two GlobalEyes, with an option to potentially double that number, and Saab is pitching a development of the current system to meet NATO’s requirements.
