A video purportedly shows a Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft flying over Ukraine. To our knowledge, if legal, this would be the first such radar aircraft in Ukraine and would mark an important new capability for Ukraine, one that we have discussed in depth in the past.
The video released by the Russians claimed that it was likely a Swedish Saab 340 AEW&C long-range radar and control aircraft flying over Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/XkFZlok2B3
— War Translated (@wartranslated) March 20, 2026
The video in question, which appears to have been first posted on a Russian Telegram account, clearly shows one of the aircraft flying level in daylight, with a distinctive “balance beam” radar fairing on the upper fuselage. The date and location of the video could not be confirmed. It should also be noted that we have not been able to verify the footage itself, but there is no evidence that it may have been tampered with.
As mentioned, this appears to be the first time we’ve seen two of the Ukrainian Air Force’s Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft, although there are indications that the aircraft have been flying in Ukrainian skies for some time.
Last April, open source flight tracking platforms indicated that a possible Ukrainian radar aircraft was flying in the Lviv region of western Ukraine and was using the call sign “WELCOME”. Previously, an unidentified aircraft with the same call sign was spotted flying in the airspace near Poland and Hungary. If true, this suggests the track over Lviv may have been a post-delivery acceptance or calibration flight. It is also worth noting that transponders can also be manipulated to provide false aircraft trajectories.
As we reported at the time, Stockholm announced in May 2024 the transfer of two Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft to Ukraine. The donation is part of Sweden’s largest military aid package to Ukraine to date, worth approximately $1.25 billion.
It was said at the time that it would take about a year to train crews and maintenance personnel and prepare ground facilities for the new aircraft.
The Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft is known as the ASC 890 in the Swedish Army, also known as the S 100D Argus. The Swedish Air Force operates two of the aircraft, both of which are understood to have been supplied to Kiev. Two other ex-Swedish Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft are operated by Thailand, while another pair were sold to Poland and were previously operated by the United Arab Emirates.
The importance of the Saab 340 AEW&C for Ukraine cannot be overstated.
It brings entirely new capabilities to the Ukrainian Air Force, which has never used any type of early warning and control platform.
At the heart of the aircraft is the Saab Erieye Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. The sensor, mounted on top of the fuselage, can detect air and sea targets up to about 280 miles away, with the aircraft typically operating at an altitude of 20,000 feet. According to reports, the AESA system can simultaneously track up to 1,000 airborne targets and 500 surface targets.
All this data is handled by three mission personnel: a mission control officer, a combat control operator and a surveillance operator. It can also downlink to ground stations and other aircraft, at least in theory, more on that later.
Unlike ground-based air defense radars, Erieye provides a “look down” function. The radar is particularly useful for detecting low-flying Russian drones and cruise missiles due to its lack of terrain line-of-sight restrictions. These targets are otherwise tricky due to their low flying altitude and small radar signature. With this in mind, the aircraft should be able to significantly enhance the situational awareness of Ukrainian air defense forces.
Photos taken on December 27, 2025, show an Iranian-designed Shahed-136 (or Russian-made Geran-2) drone flying over Kiev during a Russian drone and missile attack. Photograph: Sergei SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images Sergei Supinsky
Within its layered air defense network, Ukraine relies heavily on manned fighter jets (as well as other aircraft platforms) to intercept drones and cruise missiles. Adding the Saab 340 AEW&C to the equation, the radar aircraft should be able to act as a fighter controller, detecting targets, prioritizing them and then assigning them to fighters for interception. Likewise, this data can be provided to other air defense assets.
Particularly useful in this regard is the NATO standard Link 16 data link communications system. In theory, this would be compatible with Ukraine’s F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets, as well as Western-supplied land-based air defense systems.
However, in late 2024, it was reported that the Link 16 systems of F-16 fighter jets donated to Ukraine had been removed or disabled because the United States feared that they could end up in Russian hands.
This would prevent these fighters from getting a real-time air defense “picture” from the Erieye radar, and it is unclear whether Ukraine will be able to use the Link 16 connection.
According to reports, as of March 2025, the delivery of radar aircraft is on track and they will be able to effectively cooperate with Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets.
An F-16 of the Ukrainian Air Force took off to perform an air defense mission. Ukrainian Air Force
“The timing of the delivery of the ASC 890 is related to when certain modifications of the F-16 fighter jets will be ready. There will be no delay in the transfer of the airborne early warning aircraft to Ukraine,” Lithuanian Delphi News agency reports. This sounds a lot like reference enable Link 16 connection.
However, even without Link 16, the Saab 340 AEW&C is capable of providing enhanced air and maritime surveillance to Ukraine.
Later versions of the Erieye radar also had synthetic aperture radar and ground moving target indication (SAR/GMTI) capabilities, although it is unclear whether Ukraine also has this capability. SAR provides detailed image-like ground mapping within the scope of the standoff, while GMTI detects and tracks movement on the ground over time, which will help monitor Russian military movements.
If Ukraine’s ambitious plans to purchase Saab Gripen fighter jets come to fruition in the future, the combination of these jets with the Saab 340 AEW&C could provide tailor-made solutions for air defense and other missions.
For all its capabilities, the Saab 340 AEW&C will also be a prime target for Russia.
Russia’s own A-50 workhorse early warning aircraft have been repeatedly targeted by Ukraine, as Ukraine recognizes their value as force multipliers.
The A-50U is the mainstay of the Russian Aerospace Forces. Russian Ministry of Defense The A-50U is the mainstay of the Russian Air Force. (Russian Ministry of Defense)
It is estimated that Russia had nine A-50s in service at the beginning of a full-scale invasion. Since then, two combat losses have occurred, one of which was damaged by a drone attack while on the ground at a base in Belarus. The current condition is unknown. Recently, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces claimed that an A-50 was hit during an attack on a maintenance facility in the Novgorod region of Russia.
That reality will almost certainly mean Ukraine operates Saab radar aircraft from the country’s far west, possibly moving them between airports to reduce the risk of air strikes. Ukrainian F-16s also used similar tactics. With a maximum of two aircraft, all-weather coverage is also impossible, so one aircraft is likely to remain on permanent ground alert in response to a particularly intensive Russian drone and missile attack.
It may be for this reason that we have not seen any Ukrainian Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft since their delivery.
Over time, we will hopefully learn more about what these covert assets bring to Ukraine’s air defenses and how they impact the response to Russia’s near-constant drone and missile attacks.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com