Sweden to replace its Saab 340 AEW-300s with the powerful GlobalEye

The Swedish government made the decision to replace its Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft with the much more modern and capable GlobalEye.

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The Swedish Air Force currently operates 2 old ASC 890s (internal designation of the Saab 340 AEW) of the 4 originally acquired, equipped with an AESA Erieye side scan radar, with a coverage of °300 and the ability to detect a fighter-sized target at 250 kms distance. Although their replacement has been sought for years, only now the government has given the go-ahead for the operation.

According to the Swedish Armed Forces press release, the aircraft chosen to replace the ASC 890 is the Saab GlobalEye

Saab’s GlobalEye has a highly effective radar mounted on top of the fuselage, the so-called Erieye Extended Range, which provides increased range, resolution and resistance to countermeasures. Other advanced sensors are also integrated. For example, it can send data to Air Force, Army and Navy units. The system will also be able to support society by coordinating and managing rescue operations in the event of natural disasters or major accidents.

«Saab’s GlobalEye has a powerful radar and other sensors that enhance our ability to monitor airspace, sea and land» says Swedish Armed Forces production manager Johan Svensson.

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The GlobalEye is one of the most capable and modern AEW&C systems in the world. Its main sensor is the Erieye ER (extended range) radar, based on GaN technology, with an instrumental range of 550 km. It also has an AESA radar for maritime and ground scanning under the fuselage, an optical pod, passive sensors for radio emission detection and powerful electronic warfare equipment for self-protection.

The Bombardier Global 6000/6500 high-performance business jet is used as the platform, which allows the GlobalEye a mission time of up to 11 hours.

So far, the only operator of this AEW system is the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force which acquired 3 aircraft plus 2 options in 2015. The first 3 units were already delivered and now 2 more are being worked on, as the UAE decided to execute the 2 options.

Another potential user is Finland, where Saab is participating in the HX competition for the replacement of its F/A-18 Hornet with a combo based on the Gripen E/F and GlobalEye.