NATO plans to replace American AWACS aircraft with Swedish GlobalEye - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
NATO intends to replace its fleet of AWACS reconnaissance aircraft with Swedish Saab GlobalEye. This will be announced at the summit in Ankara on July 7-8.
NATO plans to replace its aging fleet of US-made AWACS reconnaissance aircraft with a Swedish alternative, citing four sources Reuters reported, indicating that this move could affect US President Donald Trump, who has called on allies to buy more American military equipment, writes UNN.
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Trump has repeatedly criticized European allies for relying on the US for their security, while pressuring them to increase defense spending and buy more American equipment. He has also occasionally threatened to withdraw Washington from NATO.
Sources said the purchase of Saab GlobalEye reconnaissance aircraft will be announced at the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8.
An alliance spokesman confirmed that a decision on replacing the AWACS aircraft will be announced at the summit, but declined to provide details. Saab declined to comment.
With their distinctive nine-meter radar domes, NATO's 14 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft have served as the alliance's eyes in the sky since 1982.
Based at Geilenkirchen Air Base in Germany, the fleet has played a key role in surveillance missions along NATO's eastern flank since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine, the publication notes.
Under the replacement plan, Geilenkirchen could eventually become home to the world's largest fleet of GlobalEye aircraft, sources familiar with the matter said.
The system, which entered service in 2018, is designed to detect and track threats in the air, on land, and at sea. It is based on the Global 6500 business jet built by Canadian company Bombardier.
GlobalEye competes with the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail, an early warning and command aircraft based on the 737 jetliner and designed for surveillance and battle management.
In 2025, NATO abandoned plans to purchase six Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft after the Pentagon, its largest potential customer, canceled plans to acquire 26 aircraft and instead placed greater emphasis on satellite capabilities.
However, under pressure from US lawmakers, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Congressional committee in May that the Pentagon seeks to restore funding for the program.
NATO's planned announcement comes weeks after Canada, which said it wants to reduce its reliance on US defense suppliers, announced plans to purchase six GlobalEye aircraft, the largest order for the aircraft to date.
NATO's purchase is expected to be larger, though it was not immediately clear how many aircraft that would involve. One source said the final number could depend on whether the alliance chooses a more expensive version capable of in-flight refueling.
The current AWACS fleet can refuel in flight, which has proven valuable for missions near Ukraine as it allows extended time in the area of responsibility.
The aircraft, among the few military assets owned directly by NATO, are operated by crews from 21 of the alliance's 32 member states.
In the event of a conflict, they can provide a common radar picture for allied fighters, ships, and command centers while directing NATO combat aircraft to their targets.
The fleet has supported missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq, as well as security operations during the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and major international summits.