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The decision will replace the alliance’s aging fleet of 14 Boeing E-3A Sentry (AWACS) aircraft, which have been in service for over four decades and are primarily stationed at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen in Germany. The E-3As, based on the Boeing 707 airframe, are slated for retirement by 2035.
This shift is driven by a combination of programmatic failure and a growing political push for “European strategic autonomy,” particularly following the U.S. withdrawal from previous procurement plans.
Boeing E-7A Wedgetail: The Deal That Fell Apart
As recently as November 2023, NATO appeared poised to select the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail, a militarized Boeing 737 variant, to serve as the successor to the E-3. The plan called for an initial procurement of six aircraft.
However, the deal collapsed after the United States Air Force (USAF) unexpectedly withdrew from the program in June 2025. Citing high costs—which had swelled from an estimated $588 million to $724 million per aircraft—the Pentagon decided to pivot toward space-based surveillance capabilities like the “Golden Dome” project, rather than buy a new generation of manned jets.
By November 2025, the Netherlands confirmed that the remaining partner countries had decided to abandon the E-7A acquisition, with officials noting that the U.S. exit had removed both the “strategic and financial basis” of the program. Crucially, the Dutch also highlighted “the importance of investing as much as possible in European industry,” a sentiment that strongly boosted the rival Saab-Bombardier bid.
Saab & Bombardier’s GlobalEye: A European Alternative
The winning platform is the GlobalEye, a system offered by a partnership between Swedish defense giant Saab (which makes the advanced radar) and Canadian manufacturer Bombardier (which provides the Global 6000/6500 business jet airframe).
Specifications and Performance
- Radar System: The GlobalEye is equipped with Saab’s Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar. Unlike the mechanically rotating “mushroom” dome on the old AWACS, the Erieye uses a fixed, dual-sided Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar mounted on top of the fuselage.
- Detection Range: It is capable of detecting and identifying airborne, maritime, and land targets at ranges exceeding 550 km.
- Airframe Efficiency: Based on the Global 6000/6500 business jet, the GlobalEye offers significantly better fuel efficiency, reduced maintenance costs, and the ability to operate from shorter runways compared to the heavy 707 or 737 airframes. The aircraft has an endurance of over 13 hours.
The Numbers and Timeline
NATO is expected to order between 10 and 14 of the new aircraft, with contracts coordinated through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA).
- Value: The program is estimated to be worth between €5 billion and €6 billion ($5.4bn – $6.5bn).
- Entry into Service: Deliveries are targeted to begin before 2030, with the goal of the fleet being fully operational in the early 2030s.
The Strategic Message: “Strategic Autonomy”
The decision to snub Boeing is deeply political. The E-7A Wedgetail had effectively won the contract on technical merit, but the US withdrawal shattered the alliance required to fund it, forcing NATO members to look elsewhere.
By embracing the GlobalEye—a platform shared by Sweden, France, and possibly Poland and Germany—NATO is accelerating its long-term goal of reducing reliance on U.S. hardware for battlefield surveillance. This move aligns with the push by European leaders for a more sovereign defense industrial base, particularly given the uncertainty of future American support under a potential second Trump administration.
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