U.S. Army awards Saab radar deal for Estonia Latvia and Lithuania

Saab has received a $23.9 million U.S. Army contract modification to deliver 10 Giraffe 1X radars to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, strengthening air surveillance coverage across NATO’s Baltic front line.

The award, issued to Saab Inc. in East Syracuse, New York, supports a U.S. Army program aimed at building defense capacity among allied partner nations. The latest modification brings the total value of the contract to just over $70 million and covers the procurement and delivery of the radar systems for the three Baltic states.

Work on the contract will be carried out in East Syracuse, with completion scheduled for February 28, 2027, according to the Department of War contract notice. The Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is overseeing the award.

For Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, the delivery adds another layer to regional air defense at a time when early warning and low-altitude threat detection remain a priority. The Baltic states, all of which border or lie close to Russia, have continued to expand their surveillance and air defense networks in coordination with NATO allies.

The Giraffe 1X is a compact, mobile radar built for short-range air surveillance. It is designed to track aircraft, helicopters, drones, and other low-flying threats that can be harder to detect with larger long-range systems. In practical use, the radar provides crews with early warning data, helping them identify and follow incoming targets before they reach protected areas. The system can be deployed quickly and repositioned as needed, making it well suited for forward operating locations, critical infrastructure sites, and rapidly changing defensive positions.

The radar has become increasingly relevant as smaller aerial threats, particularly drones, play a larger role in regional security planning. Systems like the Giraffe 1X are intended to give operators a clearer picture of low-altitude airspace, where drones and other small targets can otherwise slip through coverage gaps.

This radar is essentially the “eyes” of an air defense network. It does not fire interceptors itself, but it provides the tracking information needed for other systems and command centers to respond.