The project combines Saab’s airborne early warning pods with an established unmanned aircraft. Chief Executive Micael Johansson said the company was pressing ahead with trials while preparing the system for customers.
“We’re test flying it as we speak. We are pushing hard to get it into the market,” Johansson said during Saab’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call. “It is for sale already.”
Johansson said the system had not yet completed its development phase. Saab was still conducting flight tests but had reached a point where commercial talks could begin.
“It’s not really there yet. We are still working test flights, but we are prepared to start talking contracts with people,” he said.
Saab is positioning the system as a companion to GlobalEye, its crewed airborne surveillance aircraft. Johansson said the MQ-9B-based solution would provide a different level of capability rather than replace GlobalEye.
“It is a complementary capability to a GlobalEye capability,” Johansson said. “It’s not exactly the same, but it’s a great surveillance capability.”
The MQ-9B platform gives Saab access to an aircraft that already attracts interest from military customers. Johansson said additional mission systems could strengthen its appeal and support Saab’s entry into new airborne surveillance programmes.
“MQ-9B as a platform is quite attractive in the marketplace,” Johansson said. “To have different capabilities integrated to it is, of course, something we will benefit from, having our airborne early warning pods to attach to it.”
Saab did not disclose potential customers, expected order values or a schedule for completing the trials. Johansson also gave no indication of when the first system could enter operational service.
His comments show that Saab has moved the project into an early commercial phase while technical work continues. The company is now prepared to test customer demand alongside the remaining flight programme.
