On June 27, Sweden's Saab Defense & Security announced that it had signed a contract worth 2.6 billion Swedish kronor (about $246 million) with the Swedish Defense Materials Agency to order the third S106 "Global Eye" airborne early warning aircraft, which is expected to be delivered in 2029.
The order is Sweden's execution of an additional option in the contract signed on June 30, 2022. At that time, Sweden's Saab Defense and Security announced that it had signed a contract worth SEK 7.3 billion (about $690 million) with the Swedish Defense Materials Agency for two S106 Global Eye airborne early warning aircraft, with the option to order two additional aircraft.
On May 29 this year, Sweden decided to transfer two old S100D "Eri Eye" airborne early warning aircraft to Ukraine, and the S106 "Global Eye" airborne early warning aircraft ordered this time is to fill the gap left after assisting Ukraine, it is reported that the Swedish government will also order the fourth S106 "Global Eye" airborne early warning aircraft to maintain the previous scale.
Mikal Johansen, President and CEO of Saab Defense & Security, said: "We are proud to add another 'Global Eye' AWACS aircraft to Sweden's defense industry, which will provide superior battlefield situational awareness, as well as early detection and early warning capabilities of potential threats in the air, at sea or on land."
Saab Defence & Security has unsuccessfully supplied the S106 Global Eye airborne early warning aircraft to Finland as part of the HX program and to NATO's Future Surveillance and Control Program (AFSC). On April 3 and 5 of this year, one of the Global Eyes was tested in France. According to reports in May last year, the possibility of purchasing the platform is not ruled out in Poland, which recently received 2 used Saab 340B AEW-300s.
The S106 Global Eye is a multi-purpose airborne early warning and control platform developed by Saab Defence & Security based on the Bombardier Global 6000 long-range business jet, powered by two Rolls-Royce BR700 turbofan engines, with a maximum flight speed of Mach 0.89 for 11 hours of non-stop flight.
It is equipped with the new Erieye ER (Extended Range) Active Electronic Scan Array (AESA) radar, which operates in the extended range X-band. The radar is capable of detecting and tracking ground moving targets (including those with weakened radar signatures), aircraft, cruise missiles and submarine periscopes at a distance of 450 km. The Eriteye ER can operate in the presence of active interference and can adaptively focus the detection range on the region or target of interest.
The Global Eye is also equipped with the Wave 7500E active electronically scanning array radar developed by the Italian Leonardo Group for monitoring the ground and sea surface, for which it is also specially equipped with a ground moving target designation station. The "Starlight" Safire 380HD multispectral optoelectronic infrared system developed by the American company Teledyne FLIR is also installed under the front fuselage, which can operate in the visible, near-infrared and mid-wave infrared spectrum at the same time.
The command and control system (C2) on the aircraft enables the crew to perform a variety of tasks in complex and changing situations. The aircraft can accommodate up to 7 C2 workstations. Each operator console is equipped with a 30-inch widescreen, high-resolution color display to provide the operator with the best possible interface. The cabin provides the operator with ergonomic lateral seating and features low noise and low pressure heights, and it also features a six-seat passenger rest area
In addition to Sweden, the UAE was the first country to purchase the S106 Global Eye, which signed a $1.27 billion contract in 2015 for 2 Global Eyes. In February 2017, the Company exercised its option to purchase the third Global Eye for $238 million. In January 2021, another $1.018 billion contract was signed for the order of 2 Global Eyes, of which 4 are currently in service, with the last one expected to be delivered in 2025.