Stockholm, November 23 - Saab AB, the Swedish aerospace and defense giant, is intensifying its push to secure major contracts for its advanced GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in the Gulf region, with Qatar and Saudi Arabia emerging as primary targets. Industry sources confirm that the Stockholm-based company has formally submitted detailed proposals to both nations in recent months, positioning the swing-role surveillance platform as the most capable and future-proof solution available on the export market today.
The GlobalEye, built on the Bombardier Global 6000/6500 business jet airframe, integrates the Erieye Extended Range radar with a sophisticated mission suite that delivers simultaneous air, maritime, and ground surveillance over vast distances. Capable of detecting low-observable cruise missiles, stealth aircraft, and small surface vessels at ranges exceeding 550 km in high-power mode, the aircraft significantly outranges legacy AEW&C platforms still operated by several Gulf air forces. Saab emphasizes the system’s rapid deployment capability. GlobalEye can be airborne within hours of alert, and its ability to operate from short forward airstrips, a critical advantage in the Arabian Peninsula’s expansive theater.
For Qatar, which already operates three GlobalEye aircraft delivered between 2020 and 2022, Saab is proposing an additional batch to expand the fleet and establish full operational independence from regional partners. In Saudi Arabia, where the Royal Saudi Air Force continues to fly aging E-3 AWACS, the GlobalEye is being offered as both a complementary high-end asset and a longer-term replacement. Riyadh’s interest has reportedly intensified following recent regional air defense challenges that exposed gaps in persistent wide-area coverage.
Although competition remains fierce, notably from American and Israeli manufacturers, Saab benefits from its neutral foreign policy status and willingness to offer extensive industrial participation packages. Talks with both Doha and Riyadh are advancing into the technical evaluation phase, with decisions possible as early as 2026. A successful sale of even a modest number of additional GlobalEye platforms would cement Sweden’s return as a frontline supplier of strategic surveillance aircraft in one of the world’s most lucrative defense markets.