Media: NATO moves away from US aircraft in fleet modernisation

NATO is planning to replace American aircraft in its updated fleet of airborne reconnaissance and early warning planes, according to French and German media.

Sources in the alliance said the future airborne warning and control system (AWACS) fleet is expected to be based on aircraft produced by Canada’s Bombardier, equipped with the GlobalEye surveillance system and early warning technology developed by Sweden’s Saab.

NATO is reportedly preparing an order of up to 12 Global 6000 or Global 6500 aircraft worth several billion dollars.

It had originally planned to rely on US-built Boeing E-7A Wedgetail aircraft, but the United States withdrew from the program in summer 2025.

Germany is expected to cover the bulk of the costs.

At present, NATO’s reconnaissance fleet is primarily based on Boeing aircraft, some of which are nearly 40 years old.

These planes are currently used mainly for monitoring airspace over Eastern Europe.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov