NATO plans to replace AWACS fleet with Saab GlobalEye jets, sources say
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BRUSSELS, July 3 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - NATO plans to replace its ageing fleet of U.S.-built AWACS surveillance aircraft with Saab’s GlobalEye jets, four sources told Reuters, in a decision expected to be announced at a NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8.
A spokesperson for the alliance confirmed that a decision on the AWACS replacement would be announced at the summit, but declined to provide details. Saab declined to comment.
The planned purchase could jar with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has urged NATO allies to increase defence spending and buy more U.S. defence equipment. Trump has repeatedly criticised European allies for relying on the United States for their security and has threatened at times to pull Washington out of NATO.
NATO’s 14 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, known for their nine-metre-wide radar domes, 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 Russia launched its war in Ukraine.
Under the replacement plan, Geilenkirchen could eventually become home to the world’s largest fleet of GlobalEye aircraft, the sources said.
The GlobalEye system entered service in 2018 and is designed to detect and track threats across air, land and sea. It is based on the Global 6500 business jet built by Canada’s Bombardier.
GlobalEye competes with Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail, an early warning and command-and-control aircraft based on the 737 jetliner.
NATO dropped plans in 2025 to buy six Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft after the Pentagon, its largest prospective customer, scrapped plans to acquire 26 of the jets and shifted more emphasis toward satellite-based capabilities.
Under pressure from U.S. lawmakers, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Congressional panel in May that the Pentagon was seeking to restore funding for the programme.
The planned NATO announcement comes weeks after Canada said it planned to buy six GlobalEye aircraft, the largest order for the jets so far. Canada has said it wants to reduce its dependence on U.S. defence suppliers.
NATO’s purchase is expected to be larger, though it was not immediately clear how many jets it would involve. One source said the final number could depend on whether the alliance chooses a more expensive version capable of mid-air refuelling.
The current AWACS fleet can be refuelled in flight, a capability that has helped extend mission time near Ukraine.
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 a conflict, they can provide a common radar picture for allied fighters, ships and control centres, while directing NATO combat jets to their targets.
The fleet has supported missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as security operations during the 2006 World Cup in Germany and major international summits.
