Erieye Does Arabia

[SBD-3]

November 19, 2009: The UAE (United Arab Emirates) is buying two AEW (airborne early warning) aircraft from Sweden, for $110 million each. The system is a Saab 340 airliner mounting a Swedish Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar (which consists of thousands of tiny radars that can be independently aimed in different directions). This is similar to the AESA radar used on the American JSTARS aircraft, enabling it to locate vehicles moving on the ground. The Swedish AESA is cheaper, because its built like a long bar, mounted on top of the aircraft. This means the radar can only see, in a 120 degree arc, off both sides of the aircraft. A 60 degree arc in the front and back is uncovered. The radar can spot large aircraft out to nearly 500 kilometers, and more common fighter sized aircraft at about 300 kilometers.

The Saab 2000 is a 22 ton, twin prop aircraft, with a cruising speed of 660 kilometers an hour. The aircraft can stay in the air about four hours per sortie. The Ericsson PS-890 Erieye radar can also spot ships at sea, and thus can also fill in for maritime reconnaissance.

The Saab 340 has been in use by the Swedish Air Force since the 1990s, and has also been exported to Brazil, Greece and Pakistan.

 

[SBD-3]

Dubai 09: UAE signs for two Saab 340-based early warning aircraft
By Craig Hoyle

Saab has announced receipt of a roughly SKr1.5 billion ($218 million) contract to supply the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence with two Saab 340-based airborne early warning and control system aircraft.

Announced on 17 November, the sale of the Saab Microwave Systems Erieye radar-equipped turboprops followed reports at the Dubai air show that the UAE was poised to order a gap-filler surveillance capability while it looks to conduct longer-term assessments on larger designs, such as one based on the Boeing 737 airliner.

"The [Saab 340] system will provide a detailed situational picture that can be used in conjunction with, for example, border control and rescue operations," says Saab. Its contract also covers the provision of associated ground equipment and logistics support.
Saab chief executive Åke Svensson says the company's contract follows "several years" of discussions over the supply of airborne surveillance equipment. It also follows other good news for the manufacturer, which late last week performed the first flight of a Saab 340-based AEW aircraft for export buyer Thailand.

The Erieye radar has previously been integrated onto the Embraer EMB-145 regional airliner for customers including Brazil and Greece, and is undergoing final system testing aboard a Saab 2000 turboprop for launch customer the Pakistan air force.