For nearly two-and-a-half decades, Rafale has been France’s and Dassault Aviation’s pride. The combat aircraft had an unblemished record for almost 25 years, recording zero combat fatalities.
All might have changed last month when Pakistan claimed that it shot down three Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale jets during the brief four-day war in May.
While the IAF has acknowledged combat losses, it has not officially given any details about the number or the type of aircraft lost.
Key sources in the Indian Air Force outrightly rejected the claim of three Rafale jets going down.
Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has also rejected Pakistan’s claims about having shot down three Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor. In an interview to a French magazine, Trappier said: “What Pakistan is claiming about downing three Rafales is simply not true.”
Pakistan, while claiming that it shot down six IAF jets, has been unable to provide any credible evidence.
Amidst all these claims, Pakistani media reports and defense experts have all pointed to the central role played by the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) SAAB 2000 Erieye AEW&C aircraft in the aerial clash with India.
According to these reports, SAAB 2000 Erieye AEW&C was the central component of the Pakistani “kill-chain” that also included fighter jets, ground-based radar stations, air defense systems, and even space-based surveillance satellites, all integrated in a lethal “kill chain.”
The PAF SAAB AEW&C played a central role in this ‘kill chain,’ integrating the land-based, air-borne, and space-based assets into a unified command structure.
Irrespective of whether Rafale jets were shot down or not, Dassault’s pride has been somewhat hurt. India’s silence, rather light acknowledgement, has also boosted Pakistan’s morale.
If a Rafale was actually shot down, then this would constitute Rafale’s first combat loss in an operational history of 25 years. And Dassault is dead serious about learning all the lessons from this air combat, and to rectify what might have gone wrong, if at all!
Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C Aircraft With PAF
Notably, PAF previously operated a fleet of nine Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C aircraft before the May war with India.
Unconfirmed Indian media reports have claimed that Pakistan lost two Saab Erieye-2000 AEW&CS in combat. While one of these flying radars was allegedly downed by an Indian S-400 air defense system, the other was lost in an Indian missile strike on Pakistan’s Bholari Air Base.
Immediately after the war, the Government of Pakistan announced that the PAF would acquire the Chinese KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS) aircraft.
These reports further confirmed the suspicion that PAF might have lost its Saab AEW&CS aircraft during the air combat with India.
However, not just Pakistan, even France is shopping for AEW&CS aircraft.
France To Buy GlobalEye From Saab
Amid the ongoing Paris Air Show, Saab and the French defense procurement agency, Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), have signed a joint declaration of intent regarding the sale of Saab’s GlobalEye Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft to France (the successor of Saab-2000 Erieye), including ground equipment, training, and support.
The joint declaration includes DGA’s intention to procure two GlobalEye aircraft from Saab. The joint declaration of intent also includes an option for DGA to purchase two additional aircraft.
A final notification process will now follow to complete the procurement. The DGA has stated that a contract is expected to be finalised in the coming months. The parties have not yet entered into a contract, and Saab has not yet received an order for GlobalEye from France.
“We welcome today’s announcement by France about the intention to procure GlobalEye, which will enhance the French Armed Forces’ situational awareness and threat detection across the air, land, and sea domains. Our solution will enable France to maintain full sovereign control of its airborne early warning and control capability,” says Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
GlobalEye is an advanced multi-domain AEW&C solution with an array of active and passive sensors that provide long-range detection and identification of objects in the air, at sea, and over land.
By providing real-time information to air forces, armies, and navies, GlobalEye enables enhanced situational awareness of the surrounding areas and early detection of threats.
Incidentally, Saab’s GlobalEye is the latest and more advanced version of Saab’s 2000 Erieye, which the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) operates.
The acquisition, if completed, will enable France to replace its aging Boeing E3-F Sentry planes. This would mark Saab’s second GlobalEye export order after the United Arab Emirates signed a deal for Saab’s GlobalEye in 2021.
Sweden’s defense minister, Pal Jonson, said in a post on X: “A strong collaboration between Sweden and France strengthens NATO’s collective defence. France today communicated its intent to acquire 4 Global Eye aircraft. This will benefit our countries & deepen interoperability. We also signed a road map on further defence cooperation.”
The GlobalEye is based on converted Bombardier Global 6500 business jets.
Saab’s president and CEO, Micael Johansson, said in the company’s statement that the GlobalEye AEW&C “will enhance the French Armed Forces’ situational awareness and threat detection across the air, land, and sea domains.”
He further said, “Our solution will enable France to maintain full sovereign control of its airborne early warning and control capability.”
More importantly, the acquisition could help France and Dassault Aviation to practice mock drills with Rafale fighters and Saab GlobalEye AEW&C. This could potentially help Dassault improve Rafale’s performance against Saab’s AEW&C aircraft and make them more resilient.
- Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK.
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- He can be reached at ahlawat.sumit85 (at) gmail.com
