Saab GlobalEye

Saab · Sweden · first flew 2018 · transport aircraft

The Saab GlobalEye is an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft based on the Bombardier Global 6000 business jet, fitted with Saab's Erieye ER active electronically scanned array radar in an above-fuselage rotodome. It provides multi-domain surveillance combining air, maritime, and ground surveillance.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsLow-mounted, swept
E — Engines2 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted
F — FuselageLarge rotodome above fuselage for radar
T — TailT-tail

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

The large rotodome above the fuselage immediately identifies the GlobalEye; the long-range business jet fuselage with winglets and rear-mounted engines distinguishes it from military-specific AEW platforms.

Specifications

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Saab developed the GlobalEye as a successor to their Erieye-equipped Saab 340 AEW aircraft, offering much greater range and endurance on the Global 6000 platform. The United Arab Emirates ordered the type, with the first aircraft flying in January 2018. Sweden subsequently ordered GlobalEye for their own air force.

Variants

The initial GlobalEye variant; the Saab 340 AEW and EMB-145 AEW are related Erieye-equipped predecessors.

Where you'll see it

Ordered by the UAE Air Force and the Swedish Air Force; a highly capable modern AEW platform.

Related aircraft

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