Saab 340 AEW

In 1990 SwedishAir Forces bought one SAAB 340B, to be used as VIP transport, designed TP100.
Few years later, was decided to use the same airframe to bring radar for air defense.

In 1994 the first SAAB 340 AEW&C was delivered and begun the task of radar integration.
The radar, an Ericsson EriEye designed PS890, uses an active string with 200 solid state modules. The range of the side looking radar in S-Band, 3GHz, is 300 km, and uses the adaptive suppression of lateral lobes. The angle of sight on each side is 160 degrees approx.

A big advantage of having an elctronic scan antenna, is that the sectors of interest can be examinated more frequently, while, in the same time, other sectors are searched, and the same sector can be examinated in different ways, at the same time.

In 1995 was decided that SAAB 340 AEW&C was designarìted S100 B, to evidence his different role from the TP100 transport; (TP=transport, S=Spaning = Recognition), and was attributed the official name of Argus.

It is not used to bear controllers (although it is large enough to allow it, if it were requested to), but can be intended as an airborne radar integrated with global network of air defense.

Swedish Air Force has ordered six of this very effective aircrafts, four of which will be equipped with radar, two without radar, but ready to receice it, to be used as transport until the need for more radar aircrafts does not raise.

Width	21.44 m
Length	19.73 m
Height	6.97 m
Operational Speed	160 nodi
Operational Altitude	6-7000 m
Ceiling	7600 m
Cruise speed	528 km/h (285knots)
Engines	CT7-9B 1870CV
Range	7 hours
Max weght at takeoff	13155kg

Can be equipped with external tanks.
As a liner, with a crew of three, and 35 passengers, has a range of 1490 km.

More photos of Saab 340 AEW
Other images and informations at the SAAB site

Have a look at other AEW Planes
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November 16, 2006 11:33 AM