07 July 2026 A group of 11 member states, including Romania, will purchase the Swedish-made Saab GlobalEye surveillance and control aircraft, which will replace Europe’s aging fleet of AWACS radar aircraft, according to an agreement reached at the NATO Summit currently taking place in Ankara. The joint acquisition was announced during the Defense Industry Forum within the summit. The decision marks a significant step in modernizing NATO’s airborne surveillance and early warning capabilities by replacing part of the Alliance’s aging Boeing E-3 fleet, according to a NATO press release. “The aircraft will strengthen NATO’s situational awareness and support operations,” the same source added. The new GlobalEye platform will provide the Alliance with multi-domain surveillance (air, land, and ma