Focused on strengthening the country’s air defense after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Poland confirmed the acquisition of two Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft with Saab.
The two surveillance planes are based on the out-of-production Saab 340 regional turboprop and will cost Warsaw SEK 600 million, equivalent to $58 million. Delivery of the aircraft to the Polish Air Force should take place by 2025, according to the Swedish manufacturer.
“Saab has had a strong relationship with the Polish Ministry of National Defense for many years. We are proud to further strengthen Poland’s Armed Forces with our airborne early warning and network-based solutions,” said Carl-Johan Bergholm, head of Saab’s business area Surveillance.
The Saab 340 AEW ordered by Poland are aircraft that belonged to the UAE armed forces, which returned the aircraft to Saab in 2020.
In the Middle East country, the turboprops were replaced by the new GlobalEye jets (based on the Bombardier Global 6000 business jet), also supplied by the Swedish manufacturer.
The aircraft purchased by Poland are equipped with Saab’s Erieye radar, characterized by the plank-shaped antenna installed on top of the aircraft.
Source : Air Data News
