Sweden and the Netherlands have signed a letter of intent on cooperation regarding airborne surveillance and command capability. The Netherlands intends to acquire a GlobalEye system from Saab with support from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV).
"Through this agreement we are deepening defence cooperation between our countries and can together take on greater responsibility for Europe's collective defence," says Defence Minister Pål Jonson in the government's press release.
Jonson signed the letter of intent together with the Netherlands' Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius. The cooperation covers, among other things, operation and future development of GlobalEye.
According to the government, the Netherlands has previously lacked its own aircraft for surveillance and command, and has been dependent on NATO's AWACS aircraft. The planned system will be used in close cooperation with the Swedish Air Force and with close links to NATO's capabilities. The cooperation will also enable joint use of the two countries' GlobalEye aircraft.
Saab emphasises in its press release that no procurement agreement has yet been concluded and that the company has not received any order from the Netherlands. Saab states that it stands ready to support the continued procurement process and is awaiting the next step.
In a post on X, Pål Jonson writes that the Dutch aircraft is planned to be delivered in 2031. Already from 2028, Dutch crews will be able to train on the Swedish systems. He also highlights the capability to detect and track drones, missiles and other threats in the air, at sea and on the ground.
According to Saab, GlobalEye combines active and passive sensors for long-range detection and identification of objects in these three domains. The system relays real-time information to the air force, army and navy to contribute to a joint situational picture.