Footage has surfaced on social media showing what is believed to be a Saab 340 early warning aircraft operating over an unspecified location in Ukraine.If verified, this would be the first time the plane has been observed in Ukrainian service, according to The War Zone website.According to the report, the video was initially posted on a Russian Telegram account and clearly shows one of the aircraft in level daytime flight, featuring its distinctive “balance beam” radar fairing on the upper fuselage.Ukraine is believed to have at least two Saab 340 aircraft. In May 2024, Sweden—the country where the plane is manufactured by the company Saab, which gives the aircraft its name—announced it would transfer two such planes to Kyiv.In Sweden, the Saab 340 is designated as the ASC 890 and the S 100D Argus.CapabilitiesThe Saab 340, along with its associated ground equipment, provides detailed situational awareness that can be used for both military and civilian purposes, including air surveillance and search-and-rescue operations.However, its primary capability lies in its Erieye radar, mounted atop the fuselage. Operating typically at around 20,000-25,000 feet, the radar can detect air and sea targets at distances of up to approximately 280 miles and is reportedly capable of tracking up to 1,000 airborne and 500 surface targets simultaneously.For Ukraine, this radar—with its “lookdown” capability—would be particularly valuable for detecting low-flying Russian drones and cruise missiles, which are otherwise difficult to track due to their low altitude and small radar signatures.The data is handled by a mission crew of three: a mission control officer, a combat control operator, and a surveillance operator. The data can also be downlinked to ground stations and to other planes.Variants sold to 9 countriesSaab’s Erieye AEW/AEW&C system has been sold to nine countries, making it one of the most widely used airborne surveillance systems in the world.Its primary military operators are the Swedish Air Force and the Royal Thai Air Force. In July 2023, Poland’s Ministry of National Defence ordered two Saab 340s for roughly 600 million Swedish Krona, with the contract spanning 2023–2025.The agreement also covered ground equipment, as well as in-country logistics and support services.
