Saab / Ericsson · Maritime Patrol / ASW · Sweden · Modern (1992–2009)
Open in interactive gallery →See aircraft like this on the live radar →The Saab 340 AEW&C (Swedish Air Force designation S 100B Argus; Saab marketing designation Saab 340 AEW&C) is a Swedish twin-turboprop airborne early warning and control aircraft developed by Saab AB from the Saab 340 short-haul airliner. It entered Swedish Air Force service in 1997, giving Sweden an indigenous AEW&C platform and establishing Saab as a principal global AEW&C supplier through subsequent Erieye radar exports. Six S 100B Argus airframes were built for the Swedish Air Force, and the Erieye radar carried by the type has gone on to fly aboard the Saab 2000, Embraer ERJ-145 and Bombardier Global 6000, serving Brazil, Greece, Mexico, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and the UAE. Among Sweden's aerospace successes of the 1990s, the programme pioneered active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology in the AEW&C role.
The airframe is a stretched commercial twin-turboprop measuring 64 ft (19.7 m) long with a 70 ft (21.4 m) wingspan. Empty weight is around 18,500 lb and maximum take-off weight is 28,500 lb. Two General Electric CT7-9B turboprops of roughly 1,750 shp each — the same engines fitted to the civil Saab 340 — drive the aircraft to a maximum speed of about 285 mph (Mach 0.43), with a service ceiling of 25,000 ft, an unrefuelled range near 950 nmi and typical mission endurance of five hours. A flight crew of two or three is supplemented by mission system operators in the cabin. The defining feature is the Erieye AESA radar, mounted in Saab's signature 'plank' fairing above the fuselage rather than the rotodome layout used on the E-3 Sentry and E-2 Hawkeye. The Erieye was among the first AESA radars fielded in frontline service in a dedicated AEW&C role, marking both a Swedish technical milestone and the basis for an export franchise.
The Argus exists to detect, track and classify air, surface and missile contacts at long range and to feed battle-management data to Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighters and other Swedish forces. Erieye delivers detection out to roughly 250 nmi against fighter-sized targets and handles around 30 simultaneous tracks, with AESA processing that has been progressively upgraded. The platform extends ground-based radar coverage and gives Swedish air defence flexibility in mission tasking. While the S 100B itself is operated only by Sweden, the Erieye sensor has travelled widely on other airframes, and the Bombardier Global 6000-based Saab GlobalEye now carries the export torch with its Erieye Extended Range radar. As of 2026 about three S 100B Argus remain in active Flygvapnet service, with retirement under way as the GlobalEye and Saab 2000 AEW&C variants take over.
The Saab 340 AEW (called the Argus in Sweden) is a Swedish flying radar plane. It is based on the small Saab 340 airliner, with a big radar fin on top. The Argus first flew in 1994 and entered Swedish service in 1997. It watches the sky for enemy planes, missiles, and ships, like a smaller version of the American E-3 Sentry.
The Argus has two General Electric CT7 turboprop engines, each making 1,750 horsepower. Top speed is 325 mph, faster than most race cars. The plane is 64 feet long, about the length of a school bus. The radar on top is shaped like a long board on its edge, 30 feet long.
Inside the Argus, up to 6 crew members work at radar screens. The Erieye radar can spot planes 250 miles away. The radar fin uses electronic beams instead of spinning, like the newer E-7 Wedgetail and other modern systems. The Erieye also works on bigger Embraer R-99 and Bombardier 6000 planes for other countries.
Sweden has 6 Argus planes in service. Sweden has also sold Erieye radars to Brazil, Greece, Mexico, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the UAE, mounted on different aircraft. The Argus and its newer Saab GlobalEye descendant are some of the most successful Swedish defense exports.
The E-3 Sentry is much bigger and slower than the Argus. The E-3 is based on the Boeing 707 airliner with a spinning radar disk on top. The Argus is based on the Saab 340 turboprop with a non-spinning radar fin. The Argus is cheaper to fly and is right-sized for smaller countries like Sweden. The E-3 has longer range and more crew.
Older radars spin a circular antenna to scan the sky. The Erieye radar uses thousands of small antennas in a flat panel, electronically pointing the beam in any direction without moving. This is faster, more reliable, and lighter than a spinning disk. The newer American E-7 Wedgetail also uses this idea.
Sweden has built up a strong radar industry, and the Erieye is one of its best products. Selling Erieye radars to other countries earns money, supports Swedish jobs, and gives Saab a customer base for ongoing improvements. Many countries can't afford a Boeing E-3 but want a flying radar; the Erieye is the right size and price for them.
Erieye is Saab's signature AEW&C radar, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) sensor that pioneered AESA technology in the AEW role in frontline service from the 1990s, predating Western AESA AEW&C systems. It offers detection out to about 250 nmi against fighter-class targets — further against larger contacts — and handles around 30 simultaneous tracks. The antenna is mounted in a distinctive dorsal 'plank' rather than a rotodome. Together with the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail and Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye, Erieye established Saab as a leading global AEW&C supplier, and the Saab GlobalEye's Erieye Extended Range builds on that baseline.
They sit at very different scales. The Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS is a U.S. four-engine 707 derivative carrying the AN/APY-1 / AN/APY-2 radar, with around 33 in active U.S. service plus NATO operators. The Saab 340 AEW&C is a Swedish twin-turboprop with Erieye AESA radar, six built for the Flygvapnet. The E-3 fields a far larger fleet, longer combat record and a crew of around 17 versus roughly 7 on the Argus. The Argus offers a much lower per-airframe cost, indigenous Swedish technology and AESA pioneering credit. The E-3 represents the principal Western large-AEW platform; the Saab 340 AEW&C represents Swedish indigenous AEW&C development heritage.
Two reasons: airframe service life and the arrival of GlobalEye. The Saab 340 commercial line ended production in 1999 and the surviving airframes are reaching life limits. The Bombardier Global 6000-based Saab GlobalEye, with the Erieye Extended Range radar, offers a modern jet platform and updated mission systems. Sweden has 3 GlobalEyes on order and is retiring the S 100B Argus progressively from 2025 as those aircraft come on line. The Argus stands as the foundation of Swedish AEW&C, now handing over to its GlobalEye successor.
Saab GlobalEye is the company's latest AEW&C platform, pairing the Bombardier Global 6000 business-jet airframe with the Erieye Extended Range radar. First flight came in 2018, with entry into service in 2020 alongside the UAE Air Force. UAE has 5 ordered and Sweden 3, with further customers in negotiation. Compared to the Saab 340 AEW&C it offers longer range, greater endurance and upgraded AESA performance. GlobalEye keeps Saab competitive against the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail and other modern AEW&C platforms.
It is a commercial success. Erieye has been exported on multiple airframes: Saab 340 AEW&C (Sweden), Saab 2000 AEW&C (Pakistan around 9, Saudi Arabia), Embraer ERJ-145 (Brazil around 5, Greece around 4, Mexico around 3, India around 3 in Netra form) and Saab GlobalEye (UAE 5, Sweden 3 on order). The Erieye family totals more than 30 aircraft in service worldwide, making it one of Sweden's most successful aerospace export programmes alongside the Saab JAS 39 Gripen. Continued growth through 2030 is set to extend Sweden's AEW&C industry leadership.