What Is Saab? Sweden’s Fighter Jet, Radar and Defence Technology Giant Explained

Saab AB is a Swedish defence and security company that has defied its country’s modest size to become a genuine force in global armaments. From the Gripen multirole fighter to the GlobalEye airborne early-warning platform, from the Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle to the Giraffe radar family, Saab exports to more than 45 nations. In 2024 the company posted record net sales of SEK 63.8 billion and an all-time high order intake of SEK 96.8 billion — numbers that signal a company riding a structural wave in European defence spending.

Company at a Glance

Saab is a product of Sweden’s Cold War-era determination to maintain sovereign military-industrial capability. Founded in 1937 as an aircraft manufacturer, it has evolved into a full-spectrum defence company spanning air, land, sea, cyber and electronic warfare. Critically, Saab Defence is entirely separate from the defunct Saab Automobile brand — a distinction worth making in any global conversation about the company.

Sweden’s accession to NATO in March 2024 has reframed Saab’s strategic outlook. The company’s CEO called it “a tremendous opportunity,” and subsequent events have borne that out: in April 2026, Defence News reported that NATO member states were seriously considering the GlobalEye as the successor to the ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS fleet — a contract that would transform Saab’s scale.

Record-Breaking 2024 Financial Results

Saab’s year-end 2024 report (released 7 February 2025) captured the full force of Europe’s rearmament cycle:

• Net sales: SEK 63.8 billion — 24% growth over 2023 (23% organic)
• EBIT: SEK 5.66 billion at 8.9% margin — up 33% year-on-year
• Order intake: SEK 96.8 billion — all-time company record
• Order backlog: SEK 187 billion — all-time record, up 22%
• International orders: 72% of backlog (up from 64% in 2023)

The Dynamics business area — which houses Carl-Gustaf, NLAW, AT4 and Barracuda — drove particularly exceptional order growth, reflecting NATO allies racing to replenish stocks donated to Ukraine and build new stockpiles for contested deterrence.

Business Areas and Product Portfolio

JAS 39 Gripen — Sweden’s Affordable Air Power Offer

The JAS 39 Gripen family represents one of the world’s most cost-efficient combat aircraft propositions. The single-engine design prioritises low through-life cost, ease of dispersed basing and rapid turnaround — qualities that resonate strongly with nations unable to afford the ownership costs of an F-35 or Rafale. The Gripen C/D generation entered service with Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa and Thailand. The current-generation Gripen E (single-seat) and F (two-seat trainer) are powered by the GE F414G turbofan, carry the Raven ES-05 AESA radar and integrate the Arexis electronic warfare suite. Sweden ordered 60 Gripen E/F aircraft; Brazil ordered 36 as the “F-39 Gripen.” Mach 2 top speed and a ferry range exceeding 3,200 km round out a specification that remains competitive into the 2040s.

GlobalEye AEW&C

GlobalEye is a genuine leap in airborne early warning capability. Mounted on a Bombardier Global 6000/6500 business-jet airframe, it carries a 10-metre Erieye Extended Range AESA radar in a dorsal ski-box — a packaging choice that allows a comparatively small aircraft to house a radar with instrumented range well above 350 NM (650 km). Operating at 35,000 ft, the system can detect a low-altitude threat at 200 ft from distances exceeding 458 km. With over 12 hours of endurance, a runway requirement of only 6,500 ft, and the ability to detect objects as small as a submarine periscope, GlobalEye offers capabilities that were previously accessible only to much larger and far more expensive platforms. The UAE operates two aircraft; France has ordered two more (December 2025 announcement); Sweden is acquiring two.

Erieye

The Erieye side-looking AESA radar, mounted in the distinctive “plank” above a Saab 340 turboprop, forms the core of airborne early-warning fleets in Sweden, Pakistan, Greece, Thailand and Mexico. The Extended Range derivative — the Erieye ER — is the heart of the GlobalEye system. Erieye’s pulse-Doppler AESA architecture enables simultaneous detection of airborne, maritime surface and low-level threats, with resistance to electronic countermeasures built in from the ground up.

Giraffe Radar Family

The Giraffe family covers three distinct market segments. Giraffe AMB (Agile Multi-Beam) is a rapidly deployable vehicle-mounted or fixed-site 3D air and surface surveillance radar, in service with more than 20 nations including the US Army (Sentinel variant) and multiple NATO allies. Giraffe 1X is a compact weapon-locating and counter-UAS radar. Giraffe 4A is a long-range 3D AESA designed for SHORAD and medium-range air defence systems. All variants are built on a common open architecture, allowing software-defined updates to track new threats — including drone swarms.

Carl-Gustaf M4

The Carl-Gustaf 84mm recoilless rifle has become one of the most widely used infantry weapons in modern military history — more than one million units produced, adopted by over 45 nations. The M4 is the current-generation version: lighter than its predecessors thanks to a carbon-fibre barrel jacket, compatible with programmable ammunition and fitted with a digital fire-control sight. The US Army employs it as the Multi-role Anti-armor Anti-personnel Weapon System (MAAWS), designation M3 RAWS. In September 2022 alone, Saab received a USD 81.8 million order for Carl-Gustaf ammunition and AT4 systems from US armed forces under a 2019 IDIQ framework.

AT4

The AT4 is a single-shot, disposable 84mm anti-tank weapon adopted across NATO as a standard infantry anti-armour tool. The AT4CS variant uses a counter-mass system to neutralise back-blast, enabling use in confined spaces — a critical capability in urban operations. Both the US and the UK have donated large quantities of AT4 to Ukraine, where field reports confirm its effectiveness against Russian armoured vehicles.

NLAW (Next-Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon)

NLAW is the anti-tank missile that helped define the early months of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Developed by Saab in partnership with Thales UK, the weapon uses Predicted Line of Sight (PLOS) guidance to intercept moving armour without the operator maintaining line of sight post-launch — a significant tactical advantage. Its 150–600 m engagement envelope, combined with fire-and-forget operation and an overfly attack mode that strikes thin top armour, made it devastatingly effective against Russian T-72s and T-80s. The UK remains the primary user, but in June 2026 France’s DGA placed an order for NLAW with deliveries scheduled 2026–2030.

RBS 70 NG

RBS 70 is laser-beam-riding surface-to-air missile system used by more than 20 nations. The NG (New Generation) variant introduces an enhanced seeker, improved ECCM performance and night-vision compatibility. With a range exceeding 8 km and an altitude coverage above 5 km, it bridges the gap between man-portable VSHORAD systems and heavier, vehicle-mounted SHORAD platforms. The UAE, Australia, Singapore, Norway and Pakistan are among its export users.

RBS 15 Mk3 / Gungnir

RBS 15 is a long-range, all-weather anti-ship and land-attack cruise missile. The Mk3 variant offers a range exceeding 200 km; the forthcoming Mk4/Gungnir variant is expected to extend that range considerably further. Finland, Poland and Germany have procured RBS 15 to strengthen Baltic Sea denial capabilities — a strategic use case that has become acutely relevant since 2022.

9LV Combat Management System

9LV is Saab’s naval C4I platform, in service on more than 100 vessels across 15 navies. Built on Naval Open Architecture principles, it integrates air, surface and subsurface threat pictures to support weapons direction and command decisions. Recent contract wins — the German Navy’s F123 frigate modernisation, Polish SIGINT ships, a ten-year sovereign CMS provider agreement with the Royal Australian Navy, and the Colombian Navy PES frigate — confirm 9LV’s status as a Tier-1 combat management system.

Gotland and A26 Submarines

Saab Kockums manages Sweden’s submarine industrial base. The three Gotland-class Type A19 AIP submarines (HMS Gotland, Uppland and Halland) are renowned for their near-undetectable acoustic signatures — an attribute demonstrated when USS Ronald Reagan’s battle group failed to detect Gotland during exercises in the Pacific. The follow-on A26 Blekinge class introduces a modular mission section and retains Stirling-cycle AIP propulsion. Two boats are under construction with deliveries expected 2027–2028.

Visby-Class Corvettes

The five Visby-class corvettes of the Swedish Navy are among the world’s most technologically advanced small combatants. Their hybrid carbon-fibre and glass-fibre hulls achieve very low radar cross-sections, while the 9LV CMS integrates sensors, weapons and command functions. Each ship carries RBS 15 anti-ship missiles, torpedoes and a helicopter landing platform.

Export Customers by Country

NATO Positioning and Strategic Outlook

Sweden’s March 2024 NATO accession is the most significant strategic shift in Saab’s recent history. The company gains direct access to alliance procurement frameworks, technology cooperation programmes and — critically — the credibility of NATO membership in the eyes of allied procurement agencies. The potential GlobalEye selection for the NATO AWACS replacement mission would be a transformative contract, validating Saab’s decision to invest in GlobalEye even before alliance membership.

Sources

• Saab AB Year-End Report 2024 — saab.com (7 February 2025)
• Saab 2024 Annual and Sustainability Report — saab.com
• Saab GlobalEye product page — saab.com/products/globaleye
• Saab 9LV CMS product page — saab.com/products/9lv-cms
• Nordic Defence Review — all-time high order intake analysis, 2025
• Defence News — “NATO Eyes Swedish-Canadian Jet for AWACS Role,” April 2026
• Naval News — Colombia 9LV contract, February 2025
• Breaking Defense — NLAW production ramp-up, February 2023
• Saab press releases 2015–2026
• SIPRI Arms Transfers Database — sipri.org

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