The accelerating contest for intelligence dominance in the Middle East, Swedish defence major SAAB has formally extended offers to supply its flagship GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The proposal lands at a moment of unprecedented volatility in the region, where intensifying drone warfare, proliferating precision-guided munitions, and multi-domain threats have dramatically reshaped defence priorities for Gulf states. For Saudi Arabia—facing Houthi ballistic missiles, Iranian drone incursions, and emerging grey-zone threats—the need for next-generation ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) capabilities has become central to its national security doctrine.
SAAB CEO Micael Johansson confirmed the development, stating, “We are campaigning, and we have given them offers.” He added that Saudi Arabia is not alone in its interest: “Qatar and Saudi Arabia have both shown interest in the early-warning and control aircraft already ordered by the United Arab Emirates. We are looking forward to how the decision process will look like in these countries.”
The remarks underscore a rapidly shifting AEW&C landscape across the Gulf, where militaries are accelerating modernization programs to confront a new spectrum of threats—ranging from swarming UAVs to hypersonic missile tests and increasingly sophisticated irregular warfare tactics.
SAAB’s GlobalEye represents the apex of modern airborne surveillance, engineered to deliver simultaneous air, sea, and land monitoring over extraordinary distances.
Developed in partnership with Bombardier, the system uses the long-range Global 6000/6500 business jet as its airframe, converting a high-end commercial platform into one of the world’s most versatile intelligence aircraft.
GlobalEye’s origins trace back to 2016, when SAAB launched the program to meet global demand for expanded situational-awareness capabilities surpassing the limitations of legacy Erieye systems. Its unveiling in 2018 marked the emergence of a new class of AEW&C designed for states confronting hybrid warfare and multi-dimensional threats.
Flight testing confirmed the aircraft’s robust endurance, sensor fusion performance, and extended radar envelope, helping establish its reputation as one of the most reliable AEW&C platforms today.
At the heart of GlobalEye’s capability is the powerful Erieye ER AESA radar, equipped with advanced gallium nitride (GaN) modules that boost detection range by roughly 70% over earlier versions.
Operating at 30,000–35,000 feet, the system detects hard-to-spot airborne or maritime targets at ranges of 450–550 km, giving Saudi operators visibility deep into hostile territories and across contested maritime zones.
Complementing this are multiple high-end sensors:
Leonardo Seaspray 7500E radar
– Provides synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging, maritime wide-area search, and ground moving target indication (GMTI).
High-fidelity EO/IR turret
– Supports day/night tracking and identification.
Encrypted data links and SATCOM
– Enable real-time information sharing with ground centers.
Five-station mission control suite
– Allows GlobalEye to serve as a forward command node, coordinating multi-domain military operations.
Combined with an endurance of up to 11 hours, GlobalEye can maintain persistent surveillance over strategic chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, and the Red Sea—areas where Saudi security concerns have grown sharply in recent years.
SAAB highlights that GlobalEye can operate autonomously or share data seamlessly with ground stations, enabling efficient long-duration missions with optimized crew performance.
Should Saudi Arabia proceed with the acquisition, the move would represent a landmark shift in the Kingdom’s long-term ISR posture under Vision 2030’s defence modernization agenda.
Five Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS (1980s-era)
Two Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C aircraft
While the E-3 Sentry provides broad-area surveillance capability, its aging airframes and outdated systems mirror global trends—several operators, including the U.S. Air Force, are retiring their fleets in favor of modern alternatives.
Saudi Arabia’s existing Erieye platforms, built by SAAB, give the RSAF a strategic advantage in transitioning smoothly to the more advanced GlobalEye system with reduced training and operational risk.
These assets have historically played crucial roles in monitoring Houthi missile activities, tracking Iranian UAV incursions, and protecting critical energy infrastructure.
Saudi defence spending remains among the highest globally, reaching around USD 75 billion in 2024, as the Kingdom diversifies procurement sources and reduces reliance on U.S. platforms.
Recent acquisitions—including the F-15SA, upgrades to its F-15C/D fleets, and discussions surrounding potential F-35 participation—highlight Riyadh’s intent to build a world-class airpower ecosystem.
Integrating GlobalEye could enable Saudi Arabia to:
Detect low-observable threats earlier
Enhance air and missile defence networks
Strengthen maritime surveillance across the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf
Improve border monitoring against irregular threats
Accelerate joint-force interoperability with Gulf partners
Given the proliferation of Iranian ballistic missiles, loitering munitions, and advanced UAV technologies, GlobalEye’s multi-domain coverage would offer Saudi Arabia a crucial layer of early-warning capability in a highly volatile region.
SAAB’s offer to Saudi Arabia is part of a broader, intensifying AEW&C competition across the Gulf. Johansson noted:
“There are a number of countries now looking at this capability and evaluating it. We are in different stages in different campaigns as we speak.”
While pricing remains undisclosed, previous UAE procurement indicates that a Saudi package of two to four GlobalEye aircraft could cost USD 1–1.4 billion depending on configuration.
The UAE—Saudi Arabia’s close defence partner—already operates five GlobalEye aircraft under a program valued at around USD 2.2 billion. A Saudi purchase would:
Enhance Gulf interoperability
Enable joint sensor sharing exercises
Strengthen GCC-wide missile defence coordination
The combined surveillance architecture of Saudi Arabia and the UAE could reshape the region’s early-warning landscape.
GlobalEye’s integration into Saudi Arabia’s defence structure would have profound implications for the Middle East.
Enhanced long-range detection could allow the Kingdom to:
Monitor Iran’s missile launch corridors
Track naval movements in the Arabian Sea and Red Sea
Detect early-stage UAV incursions
Support coalition missions and Red Sea maritime security
Strengthen GCC missile defence and intelligence-sharing
For SAAB, rising interest from Middle Eastern customers comes as NATO reassesses its €6 billion Boeing E-7 Wedgetail order. If European states shift to alternative platforms, GlobalEye could emerge as a major global competitor.
Saudi Arabia’s choice of a European system would also diversify its defence supply chain, reducing political dependencies associated with U.S. weapons systems.
GlobalEye holds multiple advantages over Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail and legacy E-3 Sentry:
Lower operating and lifecycle costs
Faster deployment capability
Longer endurance
Smaller logistical footprint
Quick modernization cycles
The Wedgetail, while capable, has encountered cost overruns and political delays, while the E-3 is nearing obsolescence. For Saudi Arabia, GlobalEye presents a modern, scalable solution aligned with long-term strategic needs.
A SAAB spokesperson emphasized: “GlobalEye delivers unmatched situational awareness, and we believe it offers significant operational value for customers in the Middle East.”
Analysts suggest that if Saudi Arabia acquires GlobalEye, it would significantly expand the Kingdom’s detection horizons, reduce adversary surprise potential, and reinforce deterrence against Iranian and proxy threats.
SAAB CEO Johansson reiterated, “Some campaigns we have provided offers.” His remarks indicate active negotiations with multiple Gulf governments.
SAAB’s offer represents more than a procurement opportunity—it is a chance for Saudi Arabia to redefine its airborne intelligence framework for the next three decades.
GlobalEye’s integration would:
Strengthen national defence under Vision 2030
Enhance regional leadership within GCC security cooperation
Lay the foundation for a future-proof ISR network
Expand Saudi Arabia’s capacity for early warning, crisis response, and strategic deterrence
In a region where threats evolve by the day, GlobalEye is not just an upgrade—it is a strategic necessity. If Riyadh moves forward, the Kingdom could usher in a new era of intelligence dominance across the Middle East.
