NATO is preparing to replace its aging reconnaissance aircraft
NATO plans to replace its aging AWACS early-warning aircraft with modern GlobalEye surveillance aircraft from the Swedish company Saab. The announcement is expected at the Alliance’s summit in Ankara, and the decision is already sparking political controversy among the allies.
NATO is preparing for a major upgrade of its aerial reconnaissance system, and a key decision will be to replace the AWACS aircraft—which have served as the “eyes of the Alliance” in the sky for more than four decades—with new GlobalEye surveillance aircraft from the Swedish manufacturer Saab. According to sources cited by Reuters, plans to modernize the fleet may be officially announced during the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7–8, and this decision is viewed as one of the most strategic for the Alliance’s future defense architecture.
This involves the gradual replacement of 14 AWACS aircraft, which have been based primarily in Germany since 1982 and have been actively used to monitor NATO’s eastern flank, especially since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. These aircraft, which resemble airborne radar platforms with their distinctive domes, have long been the backbone of the early-warning system.
The new GlobalEye system, based on the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet, is considered more modern and technologically flexible, and it made its maiden flight in 2018. It is already competing with the American Boeing E-7 Wedgetail, which was also considered as a replacement for AWACS, although the program in the U.S. has undergone cuts and revisions.
At the same time, this decision has a political dimension, as it comes amid discussions about NATO’s dependence on American defense technologies. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized that allies should purchase more American weapons and has criticized European countries for insufficient defense spending.
Sources note that the new system could eventually completely transform the Alliance’s air surveillance structure, and the Heiligenkirchen Air Base in Germany, where the AWACS are currently stationed, could potentially become the hub of the world’s largest fleet of GlobalEye aircraft. This is expected to provide NATO with more advanced capabilities for real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and coordination of combat operations, particularly in light of growing threats on the Alliance’s eastern flank. This was reported by Reuters.
At the upcoming NATO summit, the allies plan to reaffirm their long-term support for Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that assistance must be stable, predictable, and designed for the long term.
