ANKARA
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Tuesday welcomed NATO’s decision to select the Saab GlobalEye as the alliance’s next airborne early warning and control (AWACS) system.
During a joint news conference with Defense Minister Pal Jonson and Saab President and CEO Micael Johansson on the sidelines of the 36th NATO Leaders’ Summit in Ankara, Kristersson said NATO has announced plans to begin negotiations with Swedish defense company Saab for the potential acquisition of up to 10 aircraft.
He said Sweden’s accession to NATO has brought the country’s advanced defense technology and industrial expertise into the alliance, noting that hundreds of Swedish defense companies will contribute to NATO’s capabilities.
He also said Sweden’s growing defense exports, including combat vehicles, submarines, and fighter aircraft, have helped create thousands of skilled jobs.
Jonson, for his part, said the decision would further strengthen Sweden’s contribution to NATO’s deterrence and defense while enhancing the transatlantic defense industrial base.
He said the GlobalEye system is designed to meet evolving security challenges by providing advanced airborne surveillance and command-and-control capabilities.
CEO Micael Johansson described the decision as a significant milestone for both Saab and Sweden, saying the aircraft can simultaneously monitor air, land and maritime domains using advanced active and passive sensors.
He added that the platform can detect and track threats such as drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in real time while rapidly processing information using artificial intelligence.
He said Saab is ready to move forward with the next stage of negotiations with NATO and that the aircraft would strengthen the alliance’s ability to respond to emerging threats.
