23 February 2019 marks a year since Saab first revealed the GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning & Control solution to international media at an event in Linköping. Since then two GlobalEye aircraft have taken to the skies for the first time.

The first GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft at its Linköping site, in 2018 (Picture source: Air Recognition)

It has been an eventful year with GlobalEye and Saab is progressing rapidly with the programme. The contract with the UAE was signed in November 2015 and GlobalEye was displayed to international media for the first time in February 2018. Just nineteen days later the first aircraft completed a successful maiden flight. And less than ten months after that the second GlobalEye aircraft took to the skies for the first time.

“One roll-out and two first flights within less than ten months is the kind of efficiency that signifies us”, says Anders Carp, head of Saab’s business area Surveillance. “In addition to producing the majority of the advanced sensor suite we also do all the system integration work in-house at Saab. This means we’re in control of every step, giving our customers a seamless experience.”

GlobalEye can detect and track airborne and surface targets (both on land and on sea). Missions of up to eleven hours in duration are possible with the system installed in the Global 6000. Saab cites up to 450 km (216 nm) range for the AEW radar suite at operating altitude

GlobalEye AEW&C provides air, maritime and ground surveillance in a single solution. It combines a powerful new extended range radar with the ultra-long range Global 6000 jet aircraft from Bombardier. A solution that maximizes operational performance – both in terms of detection capability and mission endurance – while at the same time offering outstanding crew comfort.