Saab has presented Sweden’s first GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft at its Linköping facility, beginning the test and verification phase before its first flight and planned delivery in 2027. Designated S 106 in Swedish service, the aircraft was ordered by Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration for the Swedish Air Force and is the first of three GlobalEye aircraft acquired by the country.
The rollout brings the aircraft into ground and flight testing but does not represent delivery or entry into operational service. Saab has not disclosed a first-flight date or the precise handover schedule.
Sweden contracted its first two GlobalEye aircraft in 2022 and ordered a third in 2024. The system combines active and passive sensors to detect and track activity in the air, at sea and over land, providing information to air, land and naval forces.
Sweden is expected to become NATO’s first member to operate GlobalEye. The S 106 fleet will support Sweden’s contribution to the alliance through national airborne surveillance and command capabilities, particularly across multiple operational domains. Allied interest in the system has grown, while Sweden and the Netherlands have begun deeper cooperation with an ambition to develop and operate the capability jointly.