Saab announced on 17 July 2026 that it has received an order for two GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft from “a country in the Middle East region”.
While declining to name the customer country, Saab noted that the order value for the two GlobalEyes is SEK 10.1 billion (EUR 0.91 billion) and that deliveries will take place in 2030.
The most likely customer for the two AEW&C aircraft would be either Saudi Arabia or Qatar, both of which are understood to have shown interest in GlobalEye and received offers from Saab.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), meanwhile, was the launch customer for the GlobalEye and received the last of five ordered aircraft in September 2024.
GlobalEye customers
Meanwhile, GlobalEye has picked up multiple customers in recent weeks. At the NATO Summit in Ankara on 7 July 2026 the alliance announced it had selected the GlobalEye platform as its new Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) solution and will procure up to 10 aircraft.
On 27 May 2026 the Canadian government announced it had selected GlobalEye as the preferred solution to its AEW&C requirement, with the Royal Canadian Air Force having publicly stated its intention to procure between six and eight AEW&C platforms.
Beyond the five aircraft purchased by the UAE and the Middle Eastern order just announced, GlobalEye has also been ordered by Sweden (three aircraft) and France (two aircraft).
