A NATO spokesman initially neither wanted to deny nor confirm the information.Image: DPA
NATO wants to renew its fleet of Awacs reconnaissance aircraft stationed in Germany, but will no longer rely on US aircraft.
April 23, 2026, 10:29April 23, 2026, 10:29
As the German Press Agency (dpa) confirmed in alliance circles, aircraft from the Canadian manufacturer Bombardier will be used in the future, which are equipped with the GlobalEye reconnaissance and early warning system from the Swedish arms company Saab. The French online service “La Lettre” first reported about it. The order is expected to include up to twelve Global 6000 or Global 6500 aircraft worth several billion euros.
A NATO spokesman initially neither wanted to deny nor confirm the information. Most recently it was said that a final decision should be made by the NATO summit in Ankara in July. The billion-dollar project is organized by the NATO procurement agency NSPA.
NATO states originally wanted to buy US aircraft
NATO originally wanted to order US Boeing E-7A Wedgetail aircraft. However, this plan was abandoned after the US government announced its withdrawal from the program last summer.
The German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius had already said last September that after the planned retirement of the Awacs reconnaissance aircraft for Germany, Saab’s GlobalEye system would also be considered. After the USA withdraws, Germany will probably cover the largest share of the costs.
So far, around four decades-old Boeing 707 aircraft are in use for NATO’s flying radar system, also known as Awacs (Airborne Early Warning and Control System). The machines are currently used primarily to monitor the airspace in Eastern Europe.
The fleet’s main base is the NATO airfield Geilenkirchen near Aachen. It currently consists of 14 aircraft and has so far been involved in all major NATO missions, for example in the fight against terrorism and in the Kosovo war.
With their mushroom-shaped radar structure, the Awacs are able to locate and identify other aircraft more than 400 kilometers away. The aircraft can pass on the information they obtain via data links in near real time to forces on the ground, at sea or in the air. This means they can also be used as flying combat control centers. (sda/dpa)