UAE Buys Saab’s Erieye AEW&C Aircraft
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Saab recently announced a 1.5 billion SEK (about $220 million) contract from the United Arab Emirates for 2 of its Saab 340 regional turboprops, equipped with Erieye active-array radars that can scan large airspace volumes, and with related command and control systems. The Saab 340 AEW contract also includes ground equipment, initial spares, and support services. An official statement hinted at more orders to come, saying that:
“The UAE Air Force & Air Defence is currently evaluating several options to purchase permanent solution Command and Early Warning aircraft to meet the UAE Armed Forces operational requirements.”
The UAE is just the latest buyer of Saab’s Erieye system…
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Its small size, lower purchase price, and comparatively cheap operating costs are making it one of the world’s most popular airborne early warning systems. The UAE joins Sweden, Pakistan, and Thailand, who have all ordered systems based on Saab’s S340/S1000 regional passenger turboprops.
Brazil, Mexico, and Greece all ordered R-99As/ EMB-145 AEW&Cs that pair Erieye with Embraer’s ERJ145 regional passenger jets.
Key competitors include Boeing’s developmental E-737 ordered by Australia, South Korea, and Turkey; Israel’s Phalcon system (active on 707, IL-76, and Gulfstream G550 jets), and Northrop Grumman’s carrier-capable E-2 Hawkeye. That may become relevant, as some reports depict the Saab 340 Erieye as an interim system, on the way to a final purchase of additional AWACS platforms.
The UAE’s aircraft order also fits into a regional trend, as the Emirates move to establish a leadership position within the Gulf Cooperation Council’s accelerating command-and-control efforts. Over time, the GCC’s ability to fuse the UAE’s efforts with local infrastructure like long range radars, Saudi Arabian 707-based E-3 AWACS/TASS planes, and other assets, may begin to produce cooperative situational awareness on a regional level. See: Saab | Dubai Airshow 09 | UAE’s The National.
Additional Readings
- C4ISR Journal (Jan 4/08) – AEW&C contenders confident as UAE decision nears
