During the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara on Tuesday (7 July 2026), 11 Allies announced the joint procurement of Saab GlobalEye aircraft as NATO's new Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). The decision marks a significant step in modernising NATO's airborne surveillance and early warning capabilities by replacing part of the Alliance's aging Boeing E-3 fleet.
The GlobalEye system will provide advanced, multi-domain surveillance across air, land and sea from a single platform. It will provide enhanced detection and tracking of complex threats, including drone swarms, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles. The aircraft will strengthen NATO's situational awareness and support operations.
The project is an example of close transatlantic industrial cooperation, with European and Canadian industry in the lead and important contributions from U.S. companies. In parallel, eight Allies also launched a new cooperative project to field airborne early warning capabilities to meet their national requirements.
NATO's new Airborne Warning and Control System is among many capability and industrial commitments being unveiled at the Ankara Summit, demonstrating concrete progress in strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence.
The 11 Allies of this coalition are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, and Sweden.
