France has signed a $1.34 billion contract with Swedish defense company Saab to acquire two GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft, marking a major step in modernizing the country’s airborne surveillance capabilities. The agreement, finalized on December 30, 2025, through France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), will replace the aging Boeing E-3F Sentry fleet and strengthen France’s contribution to NATO’s integrated air and missile defense architecture.
Valued at SEK 12.3 billion, the contract covers not only the aircraft but also comprehensive ground support equipment, crew training programs, and long-term sustainment services. Deliveries are expected between 2029 and 2032, with an option for two additional aircraft that could significantly expand France’s early warning and command-and-control capacity as regional and global threat environments evolve.
Saab’s GlobalEye platform is built on the Bombardier Global 6000/6500 ultra-long-range business jet and is equipped with the Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar, a gallium nitride-based AESA sensor mounted in a fixed dorsal configuration. With an instrumented range exceeding 550 kilometers, the radar provides continuous 300-degree coverage and enhanced detection of low-observable, low-altitude, and high-speed airborne threats, outperforming legacy rotating radar systems.
In addition to air surveillance, GlobalEye integrates maritime and land-based monitoring capabilities through a multi-sensor suite that includes maritime surveillance radar, electro-optical/infrared sensors, signals intelligence systems, and automatic identification system receivers. This multi-domain approach enables persistent situational awareness in contested environments, while the aircraft’s endurance of over 11 hours and high-altitude operating ceiling support sustained wide-area surveillance with a reduced logistical footprint.
