The decision to accelerate the acquisition is driven by Sweden’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, as the country has donated two ASC 890 radar and command aircraft.
Lars Helmrich, Head of FMV’s Aviation and Space Department, stated, “The delivery of a third S 106 will significantly enhance the operational capability of the Swedish Armed Forces and strengthen NATO’s collective air surveillance and command capacity.”
Earlier this year, Sweden’s Tidö government coalition announced the donation of the two ASC 890 aircraft as part of the sixteenth military support package to Ukraine. Defence Minister Pål Jonson highlighted that the acquisition of GlobalEye is being fast-tracked to prevent a capability gap due to the donation.
FMV, in close cooperation with Saab and the Swedish Armed Forces, is working to ensure the expedited delivery of the new aircraft. Project Manager Nils Schroeter remarked, “We are committed to overcoming challenges and delivering the aircraft as quickly as possible to restore the airborne surveillance and command capabilities of the Armed Forces.”
The two initial GlobalEye aircraft will be delivered in a different configuration than originally planned. Once the third aircraft is fully operational, the first two will be upgraded to meet the specified requirements.
