Saab Fields Interest In LoyalEye Surveillance System

Saab is in talks with several countries about possible applications for its LoyalEye radar mounted on General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' MQ-9B remotely-piloted aircraft. David Moden, senior sales director for the Swedish group's GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system, told a recent press briefing that "active discussions" are in progress while the company continues to flight test and evaluate the LoyalEye version of the technology for uncrewed platforms. 

U.S.-based General Atomics has been working with Saab on the uncrewed medium-altitude AEW solution since June 2025. This pairs the MQ-9B SkyGuardian platform with Saab’s S-band LoyalEye unit, which is a scaled-down version of the Erieye airborne surveillance radar that is installed on a Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft as part of the GlobalEye AEW&C system. 

A prototype LoyalEye-equipped MQ-9 made its first flight in May 2026 from General Atomics’ Desert Horizon facility in southern California, marking what Saab termed “the start of a several-month test evaluation phase, which will culminate in a full capability demonstration later this year.” At the time, head of Saab business area surveillance Carl Bergholm suggested the aircraft could be used “as a complement to manned assets,” aiming, “in combination, [to] enable greater operational reach and flexibility.” 

During a media event last month in Linköping, Sweden, Moden suggested that LoyalEye represents a “very capable system for a nation that doesn’t have the budget, or the ambition, or experience to field a manned airborne early warning system.” Admittedly, while its overall performance level is less than that of its larger GlobalEye-based counterpart, Saab believes LoyalEye could “also complement existing or future manned capabilities as part of a system of systems.” 

“There are nations that have shown interest in both systems simultaneously… and we are now having conversations with those countries today on how that could fit into their national defense posture,” Moden said. 

The UAE, which is the GlobalEye launch customer, has received five aircraft to date, complemented by orders from Sweden, France, and an undisclosed Middle Eastern customer. Canada and NATO have also expressed their intention to buy the platform.

However, despite Saab intending to deliver four GlobalEye aircraft each year from 2030, Moden maintained that Saab sees LoyalEye as “an extension of its capability, certainly not as a replacement,” including potential for collaborative manned-unmanned teaming.