In a significant boost to Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, Sweden has announced a groundbreaking contribution to the war-torn country’s military efforts against Russia.
The Nordic nation is set to deliver an ASC 890 airborne early warning and control aircraft.
It’s a part of a comprehensive $1.23 billion aid package aimed at enhancing Ukraine’s long-range surveillance and targeting capabilities against both aerial and maritime threats.
This substantial aid package, revealed in statements from Pål Jonson, Sweden’s Minister of Defense, includes not only the advanced ASC 890 aircraft, known also as the Saab 340, but also tanks, artillery ammunition, armored personnel carriers, and Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), which marks the largest support effort from Stockholm to Kyiv to date.
The donation comes amid a period where Ukraine has been targeted by a relentless barrage of Russian ballistic and cruise missile, and drone strikes, especially on cities like Kharkiv.
The ASC 890, equipped with sophisticated Erieye radars featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology.
It will significantly enhance Ukraine’s defensive reach, providing a “new capability for airborne radar reconnaissance and combat control against targets in the air and at sea,” according to the Swedish Ministry of Defence.
Sweden did not say when the ASC 890 aircraft will be delivered to Ukraine, but they are set to be deployed alongside F-16 fourth-generation fighter jets, due to be supplied by Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands, in support of an air force capability coalition for Ukraine.
The radar system is renowned for its high precision and rapid update rate, which can quickly track a wide array of targets, including drones and cruise missiles, over a vast area.
The operational synergy between the ASC 890 and a fleet of F-16 fighter jets, pledged by Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, promises to form a potent air force coalition for Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has welcomed the new Swedish weapons, emphasizing their critical role for Ukraine’s warriors.
To offset the dip in Sweden’s AEW&C capability resulting from the transfer of these aircraft, the country will acquire an additional Saab GlobalEye platform and has fast-tracked the delivery of two units already on order.
The ASC 890s’ integration with ground-based missile batteries and other air defenses is expected to act as a force multiplier by relaying target information and enhancing the effectiveness of Ukraine’s existing systems.
The contribution of the ASC 890 comes at a crucial time as Ukraine defends its lines against Russian deep strikes.
Sweden’s steadfast support, totaling SEK 43.5 billion ($4.1 billion) since the war’s inception, extends beyond military hardware.
Relevant articles:
– Sweden’s early warning plane will be a boost for Ukraine’s air defenses and F-16 fighters , Yahoo! Voices, 05/30/2024
– In first, Sweden to supply ASC 890 surveillance aircraft to Ukraine, rolls out largest aid package, Breaking Defense, 05/29/2024
– Sweden Sending Two Saab 340 AEWCS Sky and Sea Surveillance Planes to Ukrainian Air Force, Kyiv Post, 05/29/2024
– Ukraine to Get Sweden’s AWACS in First Airborne Radar Donation, The Aviationist, 05/29/2024