Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson announced on May 28 that Stockholm will indefinitely halt its intention to transfer JAS-39 Gripen C/D fighter jets to Ukraine. He clarified that due to the prioritization of F-16 transfers, the Ukrainian Air Force would lack the necessary materials and personnel resources to introduce two new types of aircraft into service simultaneously.
However, Kyiv will not be at a disadvantage. On May 29, 2024, the Swedish Ministry of Defense announced a new 16th military aid package to Ukraine, which will be the largest Swedish military aid package since the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine. This package costs about 1.25 billion USD or 1.16 billion EUR. Consequently, the total amount of Swedish military aid to Ukraine since the start of the operation has reached about 4.1 billion USD. The central part of the new aid package is the planned transfer to Ukraine of Saab 340 AEW&C (S 100D Argus) aircraft equipped with the ASC 890 radar system from the Swedish Armed Forces.
“Combined with the F-16s,” the Saab 340 AEW&C will be a “force multiplier,” especially since AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) missiles, with a range of at least 70 km, will also be provided to the Ukrainian Air Force, noted Defense Minister Jonson via X.
Equipped with a PS-890 AESA radar (active electronically scanned array) integrated with the Erieye system, the Saab 340 AEW&C can detect and track aircraft, missiles, and ships within a 400 km radius at an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,100 meters).
Given that such aircraft are vulnerable, it remains to be seen how Ukraine will utilize them. Russia has already lost two A-50 Mainstay detection aircraft.
The Swedish Air Force has two Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft with the ASC 890 radar system (S 100D). The Swedish Ministry of Defense’s press release does not specify the number of aircraft being transferred to Ukraine (since the word “aircraft” does not have a plural form in Swedish and English), but logically, both aircraft will be transferred. Reports from several Swedish unofficial sources and Bloomberg confirm this.
Six Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft with the Ericsson (Saab) FSR 890 (PS-390) Erieye radar system were delivered to the Swedish Air Force in the 1990s, designated S 100B Argus. In the 2000s, two aircraft underwent a two-stage modernization, initially for leasing to the Greek Air Force and later after returning to the Swedish Air Force. As a result, their radar system designation was changed to ASR 890, and the aircraft designation to S 100D. The system was upgraded to NATO standards during modernization, including Link 11 and Link 16 data transmission systems, secure voice radio communications, and IFF equipment. Of the four non-modernized S 100B aircraft, two were sold to the UAE in 2006 and another two to Thailand in 2011. Two S 100B aircraft returned by the UAE to the Saab AB group in December 2020 were resold to Poland in 2023.
In June 2022, the Swedish Air Force issued a contract to the Saab group for the delivery of two new Global Eye AEW&C aircraft (military designation S 106) based on the Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft with the new Erieye ER radar system, to be delivered in 2027, with an option for two more aircraft. Now, due to the decision to transfer both S 100D aircraft to Ukraine, the Swedish Ministry of Defense press release stated that “this transfer will result in a temporary reduction in Sweden’s defense capability, which will be addressed by acquiring another S 106 Global Eye aircraft, as well as accelerating the already placed order for two new Global Eye aircraft.” Thus, Sweden decided to convert the option for an additional Global Eye aircraft into a firm contract.
