For the benefit of the readers, some details about the SAAB 2000 and ERIEYE AWE&C system are provided here.
The SAAB 2000 is a Swedish stretched 50 seat, faster development of its predecessor, the SAAB 340. The SAAB 2000, with a cruise speed of over 665km/h (360kt), is one of the fastest turboprop airliners developed. It combines near jet speeds, including near jet climb and descent rates, with turboprop economy. The initial SAAB 2000 development plan would have seen the 2000 in service in the second half of 1993, but delays pushed this back until the second half of 1994. The SAAB 2000ââ¬â¢s first flight took place on March 26 1992, and certification from Europeââ¬â¢s Joint Airworthiness Authorities and the USAââ¬â¢s FAA was granted in March and April 1994 respectively. While retaining the same cross section as the SAAB 340, the 2000 is 7.55m (24ft 9in) longer (seating 15 more passengers), while the same wing section was retained but the 2000ââ¬â¢s wing span is 15% greater than the 340ââ¬â¢s, and the engines are positioned further outboard.
The SAAB 2000 was the first civil application of the advanced Allison (now Rolls-Royce) AE-2100 turboshaft (derived from the military T406 developed for the revolutionary V-22 Osprey tiltrotor), driving slow turning six blade props. The flightdeck features a Collins Pro Line 4 EFIS avionics suite with six colour CRT displays. Cabin noise is reduced by an active noise control system comprising 72 microphones and 36 speakers which generate anti phase noise. Several European aerospace firms participated in the SAAB 2000 manufacturing programme including CASA which designed and built the wing, Westland, which manufactured the rear fuselage, and Valmet of Finland which built the tail.
Erieye has been developed by Ericsson Microwave Systems. It is the first long-range, high-performance AWE&C system that can be installed in relatively small commercial and military turboprop aircraft. The system comprises an active, phased-array pulse-Doppler radar including integrated secondary surveillance radar and identification friend or foe (SSR/IFF), a comprehensive, modular command-and-control system, electronic support measures (ESM), communications and data links.
Rather than conventional rotodome antenna system, ERIEYE has a fixed, dual-sided and electronically scanned antenna mounted on top of the fuselage. This places much less demand on aircraft size and is designed for mounting on commuter-type aircraft. The ERIEYE is capable of 360ð detection and tracking of air and sea targets over the horizon. The instrumented range is 450km and a typical detection range against a fighter aircraft size target is in excess of 350km.
The system uses advanced solid-state electronics, open-system architecture and ruggedized commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, including general-purpose programmable workstations and full-colour LCD displays. The ERIEYE radar is already in service with the Swedish Air Force and is in series production for Brazil and other customers. The Ericsson PS-890 Erieye radar uses an active array with 200 solid state modules. The range of the S-band, 3 GHz, and side looking radar is 300 km. The 1,985-lb (900-kg) dorsal antenna is housed in a 29-ft 6.3-in (9-m) long box radome mounted atop the fuselage. Utilizing adaptive side lobe suppression, the look angle on each side is about 160 degrees. From its standard operational altitude of 6000 metres (19,685 feet, or FL200) the radar has a maximum range of 450 km (279 miles). Against a fighter-sized target effective range is approximately 330 km (205 miles). Seaborne targets can be detected at 320 km (1998 miles), though this is a function of the aircraftââ¬â¢s cruising height. The electronically scanned antenna can scan sectors of interest frequently while others are monitored, and a single sector can be scanned in different modes at the same time.
The price of the US Air Forceââ¬â¢s E-3 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft and newer systems such as the Wedgetail3 or Phalcon4 is simply too high for most countries. The combination of a radar and a commuter-type aircraft, however, has brought down the price.
India, in its recent allocation of 770 billion Indian rupees ($16.8 billion) for high value acquisitions comprising the $1.1 billion Phalcon AEWCS, 126 Mirage fighters worth $30m each and $1.7 billion worth 66 Hawk trainers, $1.5 billion Russian aircraft carrier requiring a $670m refit to outfitted with between 18 to 20 MiG 29 fighters, which will cost in excess of one billion and the Arrow anti-Ballistic Missile system from Israel had upset the balance in the region. Pakistanââ¬â¢s Foreign Office spokesperson Masood Khan had warned that the unprecedented hike in the Indian defence budget would result in an inadvertent arms race, despite the peace talks. Pakistanââ¬â¢s endeavours to acquire the Gripen Fighters from Sweden met with no success because of the Swedish Governmentââ¬â¢s policy of not entertaining arms deals for offensive weapons with countries likely to engage in armed conflicts because of the Indo-Pak stand-off. However, the SAAB 2000 is a commercial air liner while the ERIEYE AWE&C is a defensive system. Ever since Pakistan lost the opportunity to acquire the SAAB Draken Fighter aircraft and the assembly plant for SAAB Viggen in 1970 despite the advanced stage of acquisition, because of the Swedish act of Parliament cancelling the deal owing to the East Pakistan crisis, Pakistan has been examining the Swedish aircraft and weapon system with interest. Pakistan already manufactures the SAAB SAFARI under license known as Mushshak at the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory at Kamra and is fully conversant with Swedish aviation technology.
E-3 AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System has been a long-standing wish-list item for Pakistan Air Force. It first indicated its desire to acquire this force multiplier during the Afghan War (1979-89) to plug the gaps in its Air Defence Ground Environment (ADGE) and stop the hit and run missions of the Soviet and Afghan pilots along our western border. The Rules of Engagement (RoE) then did not permit hot pursuit into Afghan territory. In fact to shoot down an intruder, also it was necessary to ensure that the debris would fall into Pakistani territory. Many an intercepting PAF pilot was deprived of his kill owing to the stringent RoE. The hilly terrain in NWFP made Radar coverage poor and the Soviets, being cognizant of this PAF shortcoming, made full use of the gaps in the lobe pattern due to ground clutter. Pakistan made it abundantly clear to the US authorities that the E-3 AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System was the only answer to the Soviet hide and seek game. PAF had to bear the brunt of this weakness as not only the Pakistani villages and camps faced the wrath of the Soviet/Afghan Air Power but also PAF had to mount round the clock Combat Air Patrol (CAP) missions to deter the aggressors. All Pakistan got for its efforts was a nod to get the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, the United States Navy all-weather, aircraft carrier based tactical warning and control system with limited capabilities. With the war in Afghanistan being over, US interests in Pakistan waned and what to talk of fresh acquisitions, the existing ones also got frozen, thanks to the infamous Pressler Amendment.
Pakistanââ¬â¢s need for an Airborne Warning and Control System did not diminish but became more pressing. The Kargil crisis again exposed this weakness of the conventional ground based radars on hilly terrain. Various cheaper options like balloon borne Aero Stat radars were also examined, but their vulnerability and limited range were not the solution PAF has been vying for. 9/11 changed Pakistanââ¬â¢s status, as it once again became a front-line State, and it was hoped that USA would provide the E-3 AWACS to its major ally in the war against terrorism. However, the dream did not materialize. The situation became even more desperate with the Indo-Israeli deal to mount Phalcon radar systems on Russian-madeIL-76 aircraft to enable the Indian Air Force to pry deep into Pakistani airspace.
The SAAB 2000 aircraft for the PAF equipped with ERIEYE AWE&C system is not only an economical option but with this acquisition, Pakistan will be able to manage airborne early warning; intercept communication; airspace management; surveillance and control borders; detect illegal shipment of weapons and drugs; and coordinate search and rescue operations. Besides, plugging the gap in Pakistanââ¬â¢s Air Defence System, it will also boost Pakistanââ¬â¢s efforts to combat terrorism. It will be two years before the PAF receives its first AWE&C system. The visit of President Pervez Musharraf to Sweden appears to have convinced his Swede counterparts to assist Pakistan in its quest for defensive technology and aid Pakistan in its war against terrorism. It will take at least two years for the PAF to receive its first AWE&C system. In the bargain PIA too will get an adequate replacement for the Fokker, with a common maintenance facility as the PAF at a reasonable price tag.
ya this good for PAF but after the confirmation F-16 blk/52 C and d .. deal PAF is a good shape. JF-17s is also in the pipeline.
