NATO "spat" in the face of the United States, abandoning American means of surveillance from the air

NATO has chosen new radar aircraft manufactured by Saab, giving them preference over the American Boeing E-7 Wedgetail. This is reported by the European media.

It is reported that NATO is embarking on one of the most notable upgrades of its air force in recent decades. The alliance announced the start of official negotiations with the Swedish company Saab on the purchase of up to ten GlobalEye aircraft to replace the aging Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft, known as AWACS. At the same time, the contract has not yet been signed, but the cost of the planned purchase is estimated at up to $ 4.5 billion.

The final price, the number of aircraft and the technical characteristics of the equipment remain open questions. It is expected that one aircraft will cost about 400-450 million dollars or about $ 350-394 million euros. According to Saab, deliveries could begin around 2030 if negotiations are completed as soon as possible.

Recall that AWACS aircraft are not combat aircraft in the classical sense, but flying radar stations and control centers. Their task is to monitor airspace, detect threats in a timely manner, assist in controlling fighters and provide the command with an overview of what is happening hundreds of kilometers from the border. Modern machines with a characteristic large radar antenna on the fuselage are based on the old Boeing 707 and have been in service since the Cold War.