Sweden Confirms Its ASC 890 Radar Planes Are Already Hunting Russian Threats Over Ukraine

Ukraine has been using Swedish-supplied ASC 890 airborne early warning and control aircraft in combat operations, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson confirmed, providing new details on how the aircraft are supporting Ukrainian forces.

According to Swedish business newspaper Dagens industri on September 7, Jonson said Ukraine has been employing the ASC 890’s capabilities in combat operations “for some time” and has given positive assessments of the system.

“This gives Ukraine an important capability to detect threats at long range and more effectively command its forces,” Jonson said.

The ASC 890, Sweden’s designation for the Saab 340 AEW&C platform, carries an Erieye airborne early warning radar designed to provide wide-area surveillance from the air. The aircraft can extend Ukraine’s ability to detect aerial targets beyond the coverage available from ground-based radar systems.

One potential role is detecting low-flying cruise missiles, which can be difficult for ground-based radars to track because terrain and the curvature of the Earth limit their line of sight. Airborne radar can provide earlier warning of such threats and contribute to the coordination of air defense and combat aviation.

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War in Ukraine

Why Sweden Became One of Ukraine’s Biggest Military Supporters

Jun 30, 2026 12:01

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry recently disclosed that the ASC 890 began operational combat flights over Ukraine in March 2026, marking the first official Ukrainian confirmation that the Swedish aircraft had entered active service.

Sweden announced the transfer of two ASC 890 aircraft to Ukraine in May 2024 as part of what was then its largest military assistance package for Kyiv since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

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