Erieye & PAF

[H Khan]

I have started a new thread where we can discuss Erieye and other aspects of AEW sytems

PAF’s shopping in the next seven years would cost Islamabad about US$11 billion


PAF and the Swedish JAS-39 Grippen


Dr Ayesha Siddiqa

President Pervez Musharraf was in Sweden last week primarily to procure Swedish military technology for the Pakistan Air Force. Two items were on the agenda: the JAS-39 Grippen fighter aircraft and Ericsson’s airborne early warning technology. For the time being at least, the Swedish Parliament’s refusal to agree to the sale of both has dashed Islamabad’s hopes for an early deal.

The refusal does not necessarily mean that Stockholm has firmly shut the door on Islamabad or there are no other options available to the PAF. But the important point in this case is that the officials do not seem to have done their homework before asking the president to discuss the matter with the head of state of the supplier country. Those enthusiastic about obtaining the technology failed to brief the president about the politics of military-technology transfer. But there is more.

The news about the PAF seriously considering the Swedish aircraft was almost like a bolt from the blue. The PAF first considered Grippen in the early- and mid-1990s along with the French Mirage 2000-5, the American F-16s and the Russian MiG-29s and SU-27s. Since PAF could not get a replacement for its F-16s or fill the quantity and quality gap through procurement of additional F-16s, it was forced to consider other options.

The Russian aircraft were not a favourite because of Moscow’s unwillingness to sell to Islamabad. But the Grippen was also not considered due to equally serious political problems. The JAS-39 uses an American power plant and other systems that Sweden could not sell to Pakistan without the US’s approval. Washington, which was unwilling to sell F-16s to Pakistan, was unlikely to allow the sale of another system that relied heavily on American technology. The result: the PAF was inclined to go for the French Mirage 2000-5. But the Mirage deal could not be clinched because of the high cost of acquisition and rumours of kickbacks.

The fact is that the policymaking environment in the 1990s was too unstable for the PAF to have cut a deal. The air force as a service has always benefited when the policymaking system is clearly controlled and dominated by a single entity represented by an individual or an organisation. For instance, it benefited when the elder Bhutto was clearly in better control of defence policymaking and had firm political control of the country. Again, the PAF seems to be the main beneficiary whenever the army is at the helm of affairs. Bogged down in routine governance, the army becomes increasingly dependent on the PAF to strengthen defences against the adversary.

This does not happen when the political environment is fuzzy and there is lack of clarity about the roles of various actors, civilian and military.

The PAF of course has been eagerly looking for fighter aircraft, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and an AWAC system.

General Pervez Musharraf realises the significance of modernising PAF, the mainstay of national defence. The JAS-39 Grippen can certainly compete with other quality fighter aircraft like SU-27s, F-16s and Mirage 2000-5. Grippen is a 4th generation fighter aircraft. It is a multi-role, swing-role supersonic aircraft with a digitally controlled fly-by-wire flight-control system, an advanced BVR (beyond-visual-range) capability, a suite of electronic warfare aids, pulse-doppler radar and other dynamic sub-systems. Other than the Swedish air force, Grippens are used by South African, Czech and Hungarian air forces. Also, the JAS-39 is less costly than the Mirage. While a deal for 60-plus Grippens might cost Pakistan about US$3 billion, an equal number of Mirages would cost approximately US$4.5 billion.

The problem, however, is not Grippen’s technology but its logistics and politics. The purchase would add another type of fighter in the PAF’s inventory and raise the overall cost of maintenance. The aircraft is fitted with American components, the supply of which could be as easily embargoed as of a fighter completely built in the US. Since none of these factors has substantially changed since the Grippen was first considered and rejected, it is surprising that the PAF should change tack from the French Mirage and make an aggressive move to buy the JAS-39.

It would be extremely unwise to close doors on the French option just because Paris is cosying up to India. Contrary to the impression generated by some in the service that the French are not willing to sell the BVR capability, a package has not been completely negotiated with Paris. Once a formal request is made, the French might be willing to see the Mirage 2000-9, a more updated version of this category of aircraft. Needless to say, the French aircraft are financially costly on maintenance but that disadvantage is offset by the lesser political constraints linked with a French buy.

One is still not sure if the Swedish Parliament will clear the sale. The Swedish government has not formally received a request from Islamabad though some segments of the bureaucracy have full knowledge of Pakistan’s interest. It must be mentioned that the government means the political arm and not the bureaucracy. One also wonders if President Musharraf was warned on this score. It is possible that the military would have thought, as has happened in the past as well, that the Swedes or even the Europeans would be falling over each other to sell technology to Pakistan if it could pay cash. Given Shaukat Aziz’s good economic macro-management, Islamabad might have been confident about the prospects of arms transfers from Europe.

Military managers are not strong on comprehending the sensitivities of international arms transfers. There is also the possibility that the president might have been led astray by the pro-Grippen lobby in Pakistan. Reportedly, the Grippen representative in the country is a gentleman from Gujrat who has also promised to arrange for credit to meet the financial gap once these aircraft are selected. This means that if and when any deal is finalised, stories about kickbacks are likely to float around.

In the past two decades, every PAF purchase has been mired in stories of corruption. The only way to avoid this is to make the procurement system more transparent with active involvement of the sub-committees of the Cabinet Committee for Defence (DCC) to deliberate on the issue.

Transparency is also necessary to keep the president on track on negotiations for the possible purchase of Ericson’s airborne-early-warning Erieye radar. While the system is comparable with its American and Israeli competitors and would allow Islamabad the capability to snoop across the border more affectively, one is not certain at all if the European Union and the US would allow the sale of such an advanced system to Pakistan.

This is not the first time Islamabad has been keen to buy the Erieye. It was evaluated in the 1990s as well with positive reports given by the evaluating team. The other thing that is extremely confusing relates to the lack of a plan regarding the platform on which the radar would be installed. The two options are a Swedish and a Brazilian aircraft. While the Swedish have rejected their own aircraft as a possible platform for this system, the Brazilian option would require independent negotiation with the Brazilian manufacturer, Embarer. It would also mean much greater cost. So far, the Swedish inspectorate for strategic products has given approval for the sale.

One wonders if the DCC has been taken into confidence at all about the future plans of the PAF and other services. If Islamabad manages the two deals, the PAF’s shopping in the next seven years would cost Islamabad about US$11 billion. This includes, in addition to the AWACS and Grippen purchases, the JF-17 Thunder, the joint fighter being developed with China.

Considering the price-tag, clearly Pakistan must be very careful about how it must spend the money and where. The government must also negotiate the cost with all stakeholders, including the political players. Although one can sympathise with the PAF’s urgency to modernise its fleet or of other services to get new equipment, a strategic review based on a clear enunciation of political objectives is a necessity. This is essential to reap optimum benefits from the shopping.

Clarification

I would like to clarify that the Swedish Air Force has purchased Saab 340 which is a variation of the Saab 2000. However, the production of these aircraft was initially discontinued in 1999. But what is more important is the Erieye radar rather than the aircraft that would be used as a platform. If cleared by the Swedish government, the radar would be a good buy. The Saab 2000, in any case, is more modern than the 340 version.

--Dr Ayesha Siddiqa

www.thefridaytimes.com

[H Khan]

Cockpit of Saab 2000. According some reliable number of SAAB 2000 is only 60 aircrafts but some reports say 100.

By the way nice cockpit better than anything PIA can put.

[H Khan]

ERIEYE - Airborne Early Warning & Control System (AEW&C)

ERIEYE is the first high-performance, long-range Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system based on active phased-array pulse-Doppler radar.

This new-generation system is capable of installation in a variety of commercial and military aircraft, including regional jet or turboprop airliners. It meets full AEW&C requirements for detecting and tracking targets at ranges of up to 450 km over land or water.

ERIEYE is a complete AEW&C system, including radar (with integrated SSR/IFF), electronic support measures, communications and data links, comprehensive command-and-control facilities and self-protection system.

The ERIEYE radar, with its fixed electronically scanned antenna and use of adaptive radar control techniques, has superior resolution accuracy. When compared to traditional rotodome-based solutions, it provides enhanced detection and tracking performance, including the active simultaneous tracking of multiple targets. In addition, the radar offers significantly improved resistance to electronic countermeasures (ECM).

State-of-the-art command-and-control system gives the on-board mission-system crew full capability for AEW&C roles as well as maximum flexibility for other peacetime and war missions. ERIEYE is fully interoperable with and easily integrated into NATO Air Defense Command Systems.

ERIEYE

[omar]

Cockpit of Saab 2000. According some reliable number of SAAB 2000 is only 60 aircrafts but some reports say 100.

By the way nice cockpit better than anything PIA can put.

Most online sources claim that only 54 were manufactured, with the last entering service in April 1999 with Crossair. I take it that means the aircraft in the deal will be used or refurbished?

[Usman S.]

Most online sources claim that only 54 were manufactured, with the last entering service in April 1999 with Crossair. I take it that means the aircraft in the deal will be used or refurbished?

Yes, both 340 and SAAB-2000 are now out of production so it is going to be used/refurbished aircraft. According to Airliners.net 63 SAAB-2000 were produced in total and there are also other interesting details given at this link: http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=348

[H Khan]

SAAB 2000 has HUD on the captain's side :)

[sargam]

We will have seven Saabs with Erieye. How many need to be in the air at any given time to cover the entire Pakistani airspace ?

How many Falcon mounted planes will India be getting from Israel ?

What is the significance of the Saab2000 aircraft with respect to the Erieye. Does the aircraft itself has any advantages or is it simply a good financial package ?

Do you guys think that Pakistan may simply acquire the Swede avionics package for FC-1 rather than the Grippen to get bigger bang for the buck ?

[asimM]

http://www.pakobserver.net/200407/18/view/?page=1&id=8



Kaleem to visit Sweden for talks on SAAB aircraft

Aroosa Alam

Islamabad?Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Kaleem Saadat will visit Sweden from the 29th of this month to hold advance negotiations with Swedish authorities for the procurement of SAAB 2000 AEWS aircraft.

During his visit he may ink the deal for at least six SAAB 2000, four for PAF and two for Pakistan Navy. :confused: (i thought it was supposed to be 7) Well placed sources say that Swedish authorities have in principal agreed to supply this system to Pakistan during the visit of President General Pervez Musharaff.

The Air Chief will be picking the threads from where the President left due to technical aspects of the deal. Following President Mushraff?s talks in Sweden for Ericsson system, a team of experts from PAF visited Sweden to finalize the technical and financial aspects of the deal. The SAAB 2000 AEWS aircraft has been developed as an airborne early warning and control equipped with a spine mounted Ericsson Erieye PS-890 side looking reconnaissance radar.

PAF has gone for SAAB 2000 Variants because it has greater endurance since its turbo-prop has greater speed that is almost as good as the jet powered transport aircraft with greater internal space. PAF sources say that dominance of a nation?s airspace is crucially dependent on timely and accurate information of all air activity that might pose a threat. In numerous conflicts, airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft have proved key to successful prosecution of both defensive and offensive air operations. By mounting powerful radars in aircraft and then flying them to high altitude, it is possible to generate an air picture showing friendly and hostile aircraft at a range of hundreds of miles.

After the Indian received PHALCON system from Israel, it has been PAF?s endeavor to acquire a similar system. It has been Pakistan?s legitimate requirement to maintain strategic balance in South Asia. Credit goes to both the President General Pervez Mushraff and Chief of Air Staff whose relentless efforts convinced the Sweds to supply this system to Pakistan.

Sources say that although there are some political impediments from the Swedish side in the procurement of Grippen fighter, PAF will not give up its quest to acquire this platform. PAF at the same time is also looking into various other options which also include Mirage 2000-5.

Induction of AEWS will give teeth to Pakistan the much deserved air-superiority and this system will in fact bring stability in the otherwise volatile subcontinent.

[H Khan]

S M Hali

The Pakistan Air Force spokesman’s confirmation that talks were underway with Sweden over the purchase of an Airborne Early Warning System, and the Swedish Embassy spokesman’s corroboration that the matter came up for discussion when Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf visited Stockholm last week and a Swedish Parliamentary Commission, which handles Defence-related deals, had approved the sale of the radar system has evoked the interest of defence analysts on both sides of the divide. Pakistan is opting for the acquisition of 14 SAAB 2000s, 7 for the PAF and 7 to replace the aging F-27 Fokker Friendship fleet of PIA. For the benefit of the readers, some details about the SAAB 2000 and ERIEYE AWE&C system are provided here.

The SAAB 2000 is a Swedish stretched 50 seat, faster development of its predecessor, the SAAB 340. The SAAB 2000, with a cruise speed of over 665km/h (360kt), is one of the fastest turboprop airliners developed. It combines near jet speeds, including near jet climb and descent rates, with turboprop economy. The initial SAAB 2000 development plan would have seen the 2000 in service in the second half of 1993, but delays pushed this back until the second half of 1994. The SAAB 2000’s first flight took place on March 26 1992, and certification from Europe’s Joint Airworthiness Authorities and the USA’s FAA was granted in March and April 1994 respectively. While retaining the same cross section as the SAAB 340, the 2000 is 7.55m (24ft 9in) longer (seating 15 more passengers), while the same wing section was retained but the 2000’s wing span is 15% greater than the 340’s, and the engines are positioned further outboard.

The SAAB 2000 was the first civil application of the advanced Allison (now Rolls-Royce) AE-2100 turboshaft (derived from the military T406 developed for the revolutionary V-22 Osprey tiltrotor), driving slow turning six blade props. The flightdeck features a Collins Pro Line 4 EFIS avionics suite with six colour CRT displays. Cabin noise is reduced by an active noise control system comprising 72 microphones and 36 speakers which generate anti phase noise. Several European aerospace firms participated in the SAAB 2000 manufacturing programme including CASA which designed and built the wing, Westland, which manufactured the rear fuselage, and Valmet of Finland which built the tail.

Erieye has been developed by Ericsson Microwave Systems. It is the first long-range, high-performance AWE&C system that can be installed in relatively small commercial and military turboprop aircraft. The system comprises an active, phased-array pulse-Doppler radar including integrated secondary surveillance radar and identification friend or foe (SSR/IFF), a comprehensive, modular command-and-control system, electronic support measures (ESM), communications and data links.

Rather than conventional rotodome antenna system, ERIEYE has a fixed, dual-sided and electronically scanned antenna mounted on top of the fuselage. This places much less demand on aircraft size and is designed for mounting on commuter-type aircraft. The ERIEYE is capable of 360° detection and tracking of air and sea targets over the horizon. The instrumented range is 450km and a typical detection range against a fighter aircraft size target is in excess of 350km.

The system uses advanced solid-state electronics, open-system architecture and ruggedized commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, including general-purpose programmable workstations and full-colour LCD displays. The ERIEYE radar is already in service with the Swedish Air Force and is in series production for Brazil and other customers. The Ericsson PS-890 Erieye radar uses an active array with 200 solid state modules. The range of the S-band, 3 GHz, and side looking radar is 300 km. The 1,985-lb (900-kg) dorsal antenna is housed in a 29-ft 6.3-in (9-m) long box radome mounted atop the fuselage. Utilizing adaptive side lobe suppression, the look angle on each side is about 160 degrees. From its standard operational altitude of 6000 metres (19,685 feet, or FL200) the radar has a maximum range of 450 km (279 miles). Against a fighter-sized target effective range is approximately 330 km (205 miles). Seaborne targets can be detected at 320 km (1998 miles), though this is a function of the aircraft’s cruising height. The electronically scanned antenna can scan sectors of interest frequently while others are monitored, and a single sector can be scanned in different modes at the same time.

The price of the US Air Force’s E-3 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft and newer systems such as the Wedgetail3 or Phalcon4 is simply too high for most countries. The combination of a radar and a commuter-type aircraft, however, has brought down the price.

India, in its recent allocation of 770 billion Indian rupees ($16.8 billion) for high value acquisitions comprising the $1.1 billion Phalcon AEWCS, 126 Mirage fighters worth $30m each and $1.7 billion worth 66 Hawk trainers, $1.5 billion Russian aircraft carrier requiring a $670m refit to outfitted with between 18 to 20 MiG 29 fighters, which will cost in excess of one billion and the Arrow anti-Ballistic Missile system from Israel had upset the balance in the region. Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Masood Khan had warned that the unprecedented hike in the Indian defence budget would result in an inadvertent arms race, despite the peace talks. Pakistan’s endeavours to acquire the Gripen Fighters from Sweden met with no success because of the Swedish Government’s policy of not entertaining arms deals for offensive weapons with countries likely to engage in armed conflicts because of the Indo-Pak stand-off. However, the SAAB 2000 is a commercial air liner while the ERIEYE AWE&C is a defensive system. Ever since Pakistan lost the opportunity to acquire the SAAB Draken Fighter aircraft and the assembly plant for SAAB Viggen in 1970 despite the advanced stage of acquisition, because of the Swedish act of Parliament cancelling the deal owing to the East Pakistan crisis, Pakistan has been examining the Swedish aircraft and weapon system with interest. Pakistan already manufactures the SAAB SAFARI under license known as Mushshak at the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory at Kamra and is fully conversant with Swedish aviation technology.

E-3 AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System has been a long-standing wish-list item for Pakistan Air Force. It first indicated its desire to acquire this force multiplier during the Afghan War (1979-89) to plug the gaps in its Air Defence Ground Environment (ADGE) and stop the hit and run missions of the Soviet and Afghan pilots along our western border. The Rules of Engagement (RoE) then did not permit hot pursuit into Afghan territory. In fact to shoot down an intruder, also it was necessary to ensure that the debris would fall into Pakistani territory. Many an intercepting PAF pilot was deprived of his kill owing to the stringent RoE. The hilly terrain in NWFP made Radar coverage poor and the Soviets, being cognizant of this PAF shortcoming, made full use of the gaps in the lobe pattern due to ground clutter. Pakistan made it abundantly clear to the US authorities that the E-3 AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System was the only answer to the Soviet hide and seek game. PAF had to bear the brunt of this weakness as not only the Pakistani villages and camps faced the wrath of the Soviet/Afghan Air Power but also PAF had to mount round the clock Combat Air Patrol (CAP) missions to deter the aggressors. All Pakistan got for its efforts was a nod to get the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, the United States Navy all-weather, aircraft carrier based tactical warning and control system with limited capabilities. With the war in Afghanistan being over, US interests in Pakistan waned and what to talk of fresh acquisitions, the existing ones also got frozen, thanks to the infamous Pressler Amendment.

Pakistan’s need for an Airborne Warning and Control System did not diminish but became more pressing. The Kargil crisis again exposed this weakness of the conventional ground based radars on hilly terrain. Various cheaper options like balloon borne Aero Stat radars were also examined, but their vulnerability and limited range were not the solution PAF has been vying for. 9/11 changed Pakistan’s status, as it once again became a front-line State, and it was hoped that USA would provide the E-3 AWACS to its major ally in the war against terrorism. However, the dream did not materialize. The situation became even more desperate with the Indo-Israeli deal to mount Phalcon radar systems on Russian-madeIL-76 aircraft to enable the Indian Air Force to pry deep into Pakistani airspace.

The SAAB 2000 aircraft for the PAF equipped with ERIEYE AWE&C system is not only an economical option but with this acquisition, Pakistan will be able to manage airborne early warning; intercept communication; airspace management; surveillance and control borders; detect illegal shipment of weapons and drugs; and coordinate search and rescue operations. Besides, plugging the gap in Pakistan’s Air Defence System, it will also boost Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism. It will be two years before the PAF receives its first AWE&C system. The visit of President Pervez Musharraf to Sweden appears to have convinced his Swede counterparts to assist Pakistan in its quest for defensive technology and aid Pakistan in its war against terrorism. It will take at least two years for the PAF to receive its first AWE&C system. In the bargain PIA too will get an adequate replacement for the Fokker, with a common maintenance facility as the PAF at a reasonable price tag.

The author is a retired Group Captain of Pakistan Air Force and now a Defence Analyst for Pakistan Observer.

[khanasifm]

This article has lots of details. Erieys Vs Phalcon can some one scan and post?

Focus Aircraft: Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Warplane Classic: North American F-100 Super Sabre. Technical Briefing: Erieye - Sweden's eyes on the world. Variant File: US military King Airs - Pt. 1 Beech/Raytheon U-21 and C-12. Debrief: Austria's Black Hawks, F-16C Block 30/JDAM, F-16C/D Block 42 re-engining, Canadair CT-133 Silver Star. Photo Feature: Austria's Drakens. Combat Colours: Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Exploracion. Air Combat: Marine Corsairs in Korea. Type Analysis: Heinkel He 177 Grief. 180 PAGES



International Air Power Review Vol. 11




http://www.airtimepublishing.com/airPower.phtml

[hassan]

A little off-topic...but

When I was working at the USAF Kelly AFB in San Antonio, TX a few years ago, I had the opportunity to "fly" the Saab 2000 at the Flight Safety International's facility at the San Antonio International Airport. It was a "Level D" full-motion simulator, with full glass cockpit. I was told Level D is one of the most advanced simulators, and pilots can usually fly the real plane right after going throught the simulator training. (maybe someone can shed more light on that...)
I am a big PC flight-sim nut, so that opportunity to fly a real simulator was priceless. I did the take-off, flying and the landing and it was simply amazing.
The plane was really fast and powerful, and flew really nicely. A colleague of mine who also flew it after I did, had a crazy take-off...he yanked the yoke far too much and couldn't keep it straight, so we were banked to the left with nose at a steep angle. The instructor quickly took over and stabilized it:) Otherwise, we may have stalled and bought the farm...

Just thought I'd share my little adventure with Saab 2000...

[H Khan]

Ericsson eyes Erieye ground view




Flight International 17 Feb 2004


JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON

Swedish radar supplier Ericsson Microwave Systems may add a ground surveillance mode to its Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system as it gears up for future campaigns.

The company says plans to develop a ground moving-target indicator for the long-range phased-array pulse-Doppler radar have been discussed with the Swedish air force and depend on the results of a strategic defence review due in the final quarter of this year. "It is the government's intention that the Swedish air force undertakes more collaborative international missions, and that might call for the upgrade of [the Saab 340B-mounted] radar," says Bertil Hellström, Ericsson Microwave Systems' vice-president for international business development. Ericsson says it adds new sensors for each new competition, but the addition of a ground mode would be a "major step forward".

Two Erieye-equipped Embraer EMB-145Hs for the Greek air force arrived last week in Halmstad, Sweden for systems integration tests before delivery in the final quarter.

Ericsson expects sales of around 12-16 systems over the next five years, says Hellström. The Erieye-equipped EMB-145H is seen as a strong contender for the Malaysian and South Korean AEW&C competitions and Hellström says there are also several other promising competitions in the offing.

[H Khan]

Flight International 27 Jul 2004


Swedish defence specialist earns three-year contract to work on prototype of system
Ericsson Microwave Systems is developing a foliage-penetrating airborne radar under an SKr800 million ($108 million) Swedish armed forces programme.

The Swedish defence electronics specialist has a three-year contract from the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to develop a prototype of its Coherent All Radio Band Sensing (Carabas) counter-concealment radar. The Carabas III contract follows on from the study due to finish this year.

Ericsson is not disclosing a contract value, but the work will be funded using an FMV budget of around SKr270 million a year. Ericsson expects a further tranche of funding to be released by the FMV to finance a two-year development phase leading to a pre-production prototype.

Svante Bergh, Ericsson vice-president strategic marketing, says further development could involve partnerships with other European manufacturers. Development work will integrate the system, now flying on a Rockwell Sabreliner, on to a large-cabin business jet such as the Swedish air force's Gulfstream IV testbed. Ericsson expects the final platform to be a tactical unmanned air vehicle, adds Bergh. "The system is light enough, but at the moment the [two] antennas are around 6m [20ft] long, but with advances in antenna technology, it could work on any UAV," he says.

Carabas uses VHF radio waves to penetrate foliage, vegetation and camouflage, with a coverage rate of 100km2/s (38.6 miles2/s) at an altitude of 46,000ft (14,000m).

"A number of recent events show the need for the detection of objects under trees, so VHF radar will become very important," says Bergh. There are no official competing products.

[zeeshan]

Pakistan's Air Chief to visit Sweden for talks on SAAB Aircraft
Pakistan Times National News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat will visit Sweden from the 29th of this month to hold advance negotiations with Swedish authorities for the procurement of SAAB-2000 AEWS aircraft.

During his visit he may ink the deal for at least six SAAB-2000, four for PAF and two for Pakistan Navy. Well placed sources say that Swedish authorities have in principal agreed to supply this system to Pakistan during the visit of President General Pervez Musharaff, says a report, inked by Pakistan's noted journalist Aroosa Alam.

The Air Chief will be picking the threads from where the President left due to technical aspects of the deal. Following President Mushraff’s talks in Sweden for Ericsson system, a team of experts from PAF visited Sweden to finalize the technical and financial aspects of the deal.

The SAAB-2000 AEWS

The SAAB-2000 AEWS aircraft has been developed as an airborne early warning and control equipped with a spine mounted Ericsson Erieye PS-890 side looking reconnaissance radar.

PAF has gone for SAAB-2000 Variants because it has greater endurance since its turbo-prop has greater speed that is almost as good as the jet powered transport aircraft with greater internal space. PAF sources say that dominance of a nation’s airspace is crucially dependent on timely and accurate information of all air activity that might pose a threat.

In numerous conflicts, airborne early warning [AEW] aircraft have proved key to successful prosecution of both defensive and offensive air operations. By mounting powerful radars in aircraft and then flying them to high altitude, it is possible to generate an air picture showing friendly and hostile aircraft at a range of hundreds of miles.

PHALCON System

After the Indian received PHALCON system from Israel, it has been PAF’s endeavor to acquire a similar system. It has been Pakistan’s legitimate requirement to maintain strategic balance in South Asia. Credit goes to both the President General Pervez Mushraff and Chief of Air Staff whose relentless efforts convinced the Sweds to supply this system to Pakistan.

Sources say that although there are some political impediments from the Swedish side in the procurement of Grippen fighter, PAF will not give up its quest to acquire this platform. PAF at the same time is also looking into various other options which also include Mirage 2000-5.

Induction of AEWS will give teeth to Pakistan the much deserved air-superiority and this system will in fact bring stability in the otherwise volatile subcontinent.●

[Shaheen]

Any learned comparison of the capabilities of Erieye with Phalcon would be much appreciated.

[SSAAD]

Any learned comparison of the capabilities of Erieye with Phalcon would be much appreciated.

Try to run a search. This has been done many times in the past on the forum.

[H Khan]

Flight International 03 Aug 2004


Pakistan is believed to be close to signing a deal with Swedish industry to acquire a number of Saab 2000 turboprops equipped with Ericsson Microwave Systems' Erieye airborne early warning (AEW) radar. President Pervez Musharraf is understood to have finalised the deal during a visit to Sweden last month, but Ericsson confirms only that talks have taken place with the Pakistani authorities.

Islamabad is believed to have a requirement for up to 14 Saab 2000s, with the procurement to be divided between the military's AEW requirement and a possible purchase for Pakistan International Airlines.

Saab is keen to find a launch customer for the Erieye-equipped Saab 2000, and hopes to "conclude orders this year", says vice- president for strategic marketing Svanke Bergh.

[khanasifm]

2000 AWACS
Based on Swedish defense technology, Saab Surveillance System is the most modern tactical surveillance system of today. Saab Surveillance Systems enables integration with any existing environment, offering great operational flexibility aiming at Dominant Battle space Awareness. The Saab Surveillance System will not only meet the demands of today; Saab Surveillance System has large potential for integrated Solutions.
Increased tactical flexibility
The Saab 2000 ERIEYE AEW&C adds a modern and highly mobile sensor system, which will increase the area of sensor coverage. The primary role of the Saab 2000 ERIEYE AEW&C is to detect and track targets. The Saab 2000 is the only platform that meets the AEW&C demands for performing a 180-degree turn in less than 30 seconds and has endurance of more than 9 hours. The Saab Surveillance System will together with existing sensor information utilize the most modern Information Technology for correlation of tracks to build up a real-time air and surface situation picture. The Saab Surveillance System solves both national and international interoperability issues, such as search & rescue operations, surveillance and control of national borders and economic zones, detection of illegal activities i.e. illegal immigration and drug trafficking.


Operational efficiency
Operational studies show that a small number of the Saab 2000 ERIEYE AEW&C can provide round the clock operation. This is due to the exceptional reliability built into every aspect of the Saab Surveillance - from the avionics to the Platform. The Platform is the latest generation of high performance regional airliner. This modern, fuel efficient twin engine turboprop aircraft is designed for continuous commuter operation with the associated rigorous commercial demands for low maintenance needs, high availability and quick turnarounds. The platform is also independent of air base elevation, temperature conditions and transit distance. The platform is designed for quick turn-around, the most suitable one for the radar, as well as for easy service and maintenance.

The combination of modern equipment with advanced built-in backup and low failure rates will provide the customer with unbeatable value for money. Conventional systems cannot complete with Saab 2000 ERIEYE AEW&C outstanding capability to provide tactical flexibility, high availability and continuous operation at a minimum life cycle cost.


Saab surveillance system, the most modern surveillance system of today
- Provides Dominant Battle space Awareness.
- Provides great Tactical Mobility and Short Reaction Times.
- The most suitable platform with excellent Hot and High performance and 180 degree turn capability in less than 30 seconds.
- Integrates with the Existing Systems and improves Decision Support.
- Offers the most cost effective Surveillance System.

info@saab.se

Saab AB
175 88 Järfälla