Swedish AWACS S 100D Argus aircraft for Ukraine: priority target
S 100D aircraft from the Swedish Air Force
At the end of May, the Swedish government approved a new package of military-technical assistance for the Kyiv regime. It included S 100D Argus long-range radar detection and control aircraft with the ASC 890 radar system, which are in service with the Swedish Air Force. It is expected that the transfer of this equipment will improve the capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force to illuminate the situation and combat air targets. At the same time, the operation of Swedish AWACS aircraft will face a number of restrictions and risks.
In a new package
On May 29, the Swedish government approved the next, already 16th, package of military-technical assistance to Ukraine. It included a variety of equipment, weapons and property with a total value of 13,3 billion crowns (approx. 1,15 billion euros), and at the moment this is the most expensive package from Sweden. At the expense of such expenses they plan to help restore the potential of Ukrainian formations in several areas.
Thus, in order to restore and strengthen Ukrainian air defense, it is planned to transfer S 100D Argus AEW&C aircraft, also known as Saab 340 AEW&C or ASC 890. Together with aviation Equipment for its maintenance and repair will be transferred to the equipment. It is also planned to organize training for Ukrainian crews and some methodological support for combat use.
Currently, the Swedish Air Force has only two Argus in service. It has not yet been announced how many of these aircraft are going to be given to the Kyiv regime, and the wording from the official press release allows for two interpretations. However, the Swedish and foreign press have already learned from their informed sources that both aircraft available in Sweden will go to Ukraine.
The timing of the aircraft transfer remains unknown. According to known data, both S 100Ds are ready for operation and can fly to a new duty station at almost any time. However, the Swedish government pointed out the need to train Ukrainian pilots. If this process has not been started previously behind closed doors, it will take some time.
The transfer of S 100D aircraft to the Kyiv regime will negatively affect the state of the Swedish AWACS aircraft fleet. But, as it turned out, this issue has already been resolved. The Air Force will exercise a previously signed option for two S 106 GlobalEye aircraft, and will also place an additional order for a pair of such aircraft. Due to this, in the distant future it will be possible to compensate for the current reduction in the fleet.
Aircraft in service
The future AWACS aircraft Saab 340 AEW&C / S 100B was developed in the early nineties by order of the Swedish Air Force. The lead contractor for the work was Saab AB. It also provided a ready-made air platform in the form of a slightly modified Saab 340 passenger aircraft, which the Air Force designated as the S 100B. The PS 890 Erieye radar complex was created by Ericsson Microwave Systems (now part of Saab).
The first flight of the prototype S 100B with a radar mock-up took place in 1994. Work on the radar was completed approximately two years later, which made it possible to carry out all the necessary tests. In 1997, the new AWACS aircraft was officially put into service. By this time, the first aircraft had been built, and they immediately began full service.
The Swedish Air Force ordered only 4 AWACS aircraft based on the S 100B. We also purchased two similar aircraft in the cargo-passenger version. The construction of all six aircraft was completed in 1999. All of them remain in operation to this day, but over the past decades, some of them have changed owners.
In 2003, a pair of Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft from the Swedish Air Force underwent modernization and received a new modification of the EMB-145 radar system. Immediately after this they were leased to Greece. A few years later the planes returned home. The two remaining boards in 2006-2009. underwent a major overhaul and received a new ASC 890 radar. They continue to serve in this configuration to this day.
Thailand became the second foreign operator of the Saab 340 AEW&C after Greece. He received a pair of aircraft in 2012 and still uses them today. In 2016, Sweden signed a contract to supply two S 100Ds to the UAE. Their service ended in 2020, when the Emirati Air Force received a new type of AWACS aircraft. The released planes returned to Sweden, and after several years of inactivity they were sold to Poland. The first of them was adopted by the Polish Air Force last fall. The second one is expected to be accepted.
In the foreseeable future, Ukraine should become another operator of the S 100D ASC 890. It will be given two aircraft that remain in service with the Swedish Air Force. As a result of these events, all existing Argus will be operated only outside of Sweden.
Technical features
The basis for the AWACS aircraft was the passenger Saab 340 / S 100B, which has an optimal balance of technical characteristics. It is a 20,6 m long twin-engine low-wing aircraft with a straight wing span of 21,4 m and a maximum take-off weight of approx. 13,2 tons. Two General Electric CT7-9B turboprop engines with a power of 1870 hp each. give a cruising speed of at least 520 km/h, a range of more than 1300 km and allow you to stay in the air for at least 5 hours.
The latest modification of the aircraft carries the ASC 890 radar complex. Its antenna device with a pair of active phased arrays is located above the fuselage in an oblong casing. The rest of the radar equipment is placed inside the cargo-passenger cabin. Operator workplaces are also located there.
Thai Air Force S 100B
The ASC 890 radar is built around a pulse-Doppler locator with AFAR and electronic scanning. The characteristic elongated shape of the gratings made it possible to increase the aperture. Two AFARs provide all-round visibility. At the same time, the greatest range and detection efficiency is ensured in lateral sectors 150° wide. The bow and tail sectors, each 30° wide, have limited capabilities. In particular, they make it difficult to track targets.
Depending on flight altitude, target size and other factors, the ASC 890 can conduct surveillance all the way to the radio horizon. For an aerial target of the fighter type, the range does not exceed 400-425 km. The radar equipment is capable of automatically tracking several dozen air and ground targets. Link 11 and Link 16 communication devices are available.
Operational Capacity
Like other AEW&C aircraft, the Swedish S 100D AEW&C are designed for long-term duty in the air, monitoring the air situation, detecting various targets and issuing data about them to other users and assets. They are expected to be used in this role as part of the Ukrainian Air Force.
Foreign publications link the transfer of Swedish aircraft to the expected delivery of F-16 fighters to Ukraine. It is assumed that the S 100D will support the operations of these aircraft in solving tasks Defense. The AWACS aircraft, together with other ground and air reconnaissance assets, Ukrainian and NATO, will have to track the activity of the Russian army, identify aircraft and missiles, and also direct fighters at them.
In theory, this approach to the use of aviation technology makes sense and will solve some of the problems. However, in practice a number of serious and even critical problems will arise. As a result, Swedish AWACS aircraft and American fighters will not be able to even partially realize their potential.
AWACS aircraft, regardless of their type and specific characteristics, are an important component of any air force and improve their capabilities. For this reason, they are a priority target to identify and defeat. It is obvious that the Russian armed forces will do everything possible to quickly locate and destroy the pair of S 100Ds being transferred. Thanks to this, the potential of the “window forces” will remain at a low level and will continue to systematically decline. The risks for a pair of S 100Ds are clear and well known.
Thus, for the effective use of the transferred aircraft, the Swedish and Ukrainian sides will have to prepare a system for their basing and operation. It is likely that a pair of S 100Ds will be deployed at Ukrainian airfields. At the same time, the Russian army can open such a base and hit it. The destruction or damage of ground-based technical equipment will seriously affect the operation of aviation equipment.
New Saab GlobalEye replacing S 100D
In addition, the AWACS aircraft themselves on the ground may come under attack. They, by definition, cannot remain in the air all the time, and returning to the airfield may involve known risks.
However, the S 100D pair will be exposed to the greatest danger during combat duty in the air. The Russian army simply will not allow them to work in peace. Onboard radar systems will face the problem of suppression by means of EW, and the planes themselves will become the object of a real hunt. For this purpose, fighters or ground-based anti-aircraft systems will be used. All of them have a chance to hit a valuable target.
At the same time, the ability of an AWACS aircraft to detect an attack will not provide any fundamental advantages. Attempts to organize fighter cover make sense, but also do not guarantee success - in a number of situations, fighters will become the same target for missiles as the S 100D.
With all this, it should be taken into account that Sweden is sending only two AWACS aircraft to Ukraine. This is not enough for constant duty in the air, and an attempt to ensure it will lead to increased consumption of an already limited resource. In addition, the loss of even one aircraft will effectively return the capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force to its original level.
Strange Help
Thus, another foreign country has decided to provide aviation equipment to Ukraine and is probably already preparing aircraft for transfer. However, it is already clear that the delivery of one or two S 100D AWACS aircraft has very limited prospects - if it makes sense at all.
By giving away its Argus, Sweden is sharply reducing the potential of its own air force and its ability to conduct surveillance. At the same time, Ukraine will not be able to take full advantage of the acquired technology and get maximum results from it. At the same time, it is obvious that the S 100D will become a priority target for detection and destruction, which is why they will not be able to operate at full capacity or will be knocked out quickly enough. Whether they will manage to meet at least part of the expectations before this is a big question.
Information