Saudi Arabia unveils SAAB-2000 AWACS to the public

[Mosamania]

A photograph emerged on social media on 16 December apparently showing a Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) ceremony to mark the arrival of a Saab 2000 aircraft equipped with the Swedish company's Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) radar.

Saudi social media sources reported that the ceremony took place at the King Faisal Air Academy in Riyadh and that the aircraft would be operated by 60 Squadron.

Saab was forced by financial reporting rules to reveal the SEK4.5 billion (then worth USD670 million) deal to sell the system to Saudi Arabia more than four years ago in 2010. The announcement suggested only one Erieye aircraft would be delivered to the kingdom to supplement the RSAF's existing fleet of E-3 Sentry AEW&C aircraft.

Actually this is for 2, and 4 more on the way.

 

[chauvunist]

I don't disagree with you I am just saying that home should always be the priority and that we should be cautious with what "we" do in this regard. I learnt quite a few things from the events yesterday. You probably too.

well you have to understand that there are people with blind hatred towards you and anything opposite their agenda,they just used this event to spread their hatred towards you keeping the event in mind which is condemnable ...But Once again few people here don't represent the whole nation...And yeah i know how must you have felt with unwarranted hate and abuses hurled on you back in this thread,and i myself felt really bad for that..

 

[Wahhab2701]

Please pardon my ignorant, but why RSAF would need this early warning aircraft while they already operate the most sophisticated AWACS available in the market (E-3 "Sentry" AWACS)? What is this aircraft could offer that the E-3 doesn't have? @al-Hasani and @Mosamania

 

[kaku1]

@al-Hasani

There is Naval exercise recently between Indonesian Navy and Saudi Navy, last month if I am not mistaken. We used our new corvette there.

If you see our latest news, our Minister of Defense has said to Janes that want to have about 90 % of our military weapons made in Indonesia within 10 years from now. So, a lot of cooperation can be made to achieve that, Saudi can be another Muslim countries after Turkey (tank) and Iran (radar) to cooperate with us to create military product.

Saudi of course can cooperate with IPTN, just like Turkey with its CN 235 ASW version. I believe we can cooperate in making CN 235 AWACS or CN 235 gunship together. Currently we try to make CN 235 Next generation (longer body) that is likely going to be like C-295 of Airbus.

We surely need to increase cooperation between Muslim countries, particularly the most important ones like Saudi, Turkey, Pakistan, and Iran (dont like the way they do in Syria though). Latest Naval exercise means that current administration of Indonesia is going to continue previous policy. I believe that we are not just a friend of interest since we are really brothers and this tied is given directly by our God.

If strategically thinking, or even tactically. Then Indonesia require much more co-operation and naval exercise with there neighbors, like Singapore, Vietnam or India, and even Pak. Not with Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country.

 

[Indos]

If strategically thinking, or even tactically. Then Indonesia require much more co-operation and naval exercise with there neighbors, like Singapore, Vietnam or India, and even Pak. Not with Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country.

We have huge military exercise with Sing, USA, and Aussie. There are military cooperation with India and China as well. We just want to expand more cooperation further with Saudi.

 

[black-hawk_101]

I think if KSA would have about 7-11 of these then they can cover up all over KSA with 3-4 of them in air at night and day. More over, KSA should look towards buying more Saab-2000s and convert them locally with EU supplied Avionics and Sensors some 15 Saab-2000s into MPAs with 2 under wing hardpoints.

 

[SQ8]

The hidden behind the lines purchase finally comes to light.The PAF "validation" paid off for SAAB in this case, as such it was always a simple choice as there were only two actual competitors for the role of secondary AEW capability; the Erieye and the Hawkeye-2000(which comes with too many strings attached).

Regardless of the 5 E-3s it has, Riyadh cannot afford to rely on them for constant surveillance as they are general expensive to operate and at this stage undergoing upgrades. In addition, 5 AEW systems for a land area of 2,149,690km2 may not be sufficient to provide constant coverage in case of a conflict.

 

[mike2000]

Yes. Were are always happy.

The weapons when needed are not used.

The weapon procurement helps them legitimize their throne and help out their backers.

I was also rushing on here, thinking the Saudis build this themselves/indegeniously(i was already thinking in my mind.....WOW)........the title can be misleading.

Overall, its a good platform though, for surveillance activities. It will be a good boost to Saudi Arabia forces.

 

[Mosamania]

I was also rushing on here, thinking the Saudis build this themselves/indegeniously(i was already thinking in my mind.....WOW)........the title can be misleading.

Overall, its a good platform though, for surveillance activities. It will be a good boost to Saudi Arabia forces.

Yeah the title is by @Gasoline who isn't really a native English speaker, it should have been titled induction ceremony. But the S-2000 AWACs are a stop gap measure while the E-3 sentries are modernized to the block 45 standard. Also they will be used to keep an Erieye on the eastern border because they have superior Naval and cruise missile warning than their E-3 counterpart.

 

[Mosamania]

But why not create somethingourselves?

I bet - If Quran said making a machine like camel...Muslims would have bought it from the Europeans.

This is their mentality. Muslins around the world are experts in being enslaved.

If you want your children to be a talented slave - Future lies in Muslim countries.

Wow you are either a troll or an idiot.

 

[Viper0011.]

Face palm for those who claimed that KSA bought one ERIEYE for Pakistan .

This is actually a part of that deal. The reason it didn't cancel on Pakistan was because of KSA's order and influence, which beat the Indian influence down.

Its actually a really good strategy, I think the eventual goal is to get either TOT or get upgrade and modification capability in the long run so these can be maintained by KSA (indirectly Pakistan) in the long run. But Pakistan is using this systems capability to further modernize its Chinese AEW systems, which cost less than half of the SAAB price. Very smart move indeed.

 

[Mosamania]

This is actually a part of that deal. The reason it didn't cancel on Pakistan was because of KSA's order and influence, which beat the Indian influence down.

Its actually a really good strategy, I think the eventual goal is to get either TOT or get upgrade and modification capability in the long run so these can be maintained by KSA (indirectly Pakistan) in the long run. But Pakistan is using this systems capability to further modernize its Chinese AEW systems, which cost less than half of the SAAB price. Very smart move indeed.

Actually AEC saigned a deal with Saab a while ago to maintain and limited production of these radars way back when. Saab has been very open with sharing radar technology with Saudi firms, and this is just one of them.

 

[Viper0011.]

Actually AEC saigned a deal with Saab a while ago to maintain and limited production of these radars way back when. Saab has been very open with sharing radar technology with Saudi firms, and this is just one of them.

So Saudia has details on this tech? and ability to repair upgrade as it needs in the future? I didn't realize that. That's a huge boost to KSA as its such hi-tech and sensitive tech. Can you explain to what degree the KSA has access to Saab Erieye tech and access?

 

[OTTOMAN]

Pakistan is using this systems capability to further modernize its Chinese AEW systems, which cost less than half of the SAAB price. Very smart move indeed.

That was Musharraf's dictatorial style decision... to reduce the order of 6 Erieye to 4 and invest those funds in ZDK-03.
Now as you said, that decision of Musharraf turned out to be smart move.

 

[Mosamania]

So Saudia has details on this tech? and ability to repair upgrade as it needs in the future? I didn't realize that. That's a huge boost to KSA as its such hi-tech and sensitive tech. Can you explain to what degree the KSA has access to Saab Erieye tech and access?

The deal for Joint Radar cooperation started in 2001.
"الالكترونيات المتقدمة" توقع اتفاق صناعة رادارات لشركة "اريكسون" 

And in 2009 the production for the Radars started after the 8 years of joint research. I don't have the link for it because the forum with the source I want has banned me for insulting religion......