Saab Unveils Poland’s First Airborne Early Warning Aircraft

Saab has officially presented the first Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft under order by the government of Poland.

In a ceremony attended by Polish and Swedish defense representatives, the company showcased its Saab 340 AEW equipped with the Erieye radar system.

The milestone happened just two months after Warsaw placed an order for two airborne surveillance aircraft to bolster its national security.

According to Saab, the production and presentation of the Polish AEW aircraft was a result of the efficient collaboration between the manufacturer and the Polish Armed Forces.

The company also boasted the availability of its production line and in-house experts of airborne early warning solutions.

“We are honored to provide this important capability to Poland and proud to be quickly progressing towards the delivery of this airborne early warning system to the Polish Armed Forces,” Saab surveillance business area head Carl-Johan Bergholm said.

‘Reinforcing Territorial Integrity’
Originally developed for the Swedish Air Force, the Saab 340 AEW provides a detailed situational picture of its surroundings.

It utilizes active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology, which allows for coverage of a wide area or focusing only on a smaller prioritized zone.

With a GE CT7-5A2 engine, the aircraft can fly at a maximum speed of 283 knots (524 kilometers/325 miles per hour).

Its effective surveillance range is 500,000 square kilometers (193,051 square miles) horizontally.

According to Saab, different configurations of the Saab 340 AEW are currently reinforcing the territorial integrity of nine countries, making it “one of the most widely used airborne surveillance systems in the world.”