June 1, 2007:
After years of haggling, and delays
because of political differences. Pakistan has finally closed a deal to obtain
six AWACS aircraft from Sweden. The system is a Saab 2000 airliner mounting a
Swedish Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar (which consists of
thousands of tiny radars that can be independently aimed in different
directions). This is similar to the AESA radar
used on the American JSTARS aircraft, enabling it to locate vehicles moving
on the ground. The Swedish AESA is cheaper, because its built like a long bar,
mounted on top of the aircraft. This means the radar can only see, in a 120
degree arc, off both sides of the aircraft. A 60 degree arc in the front and
back is uncovered. The radar can spot large aircraft out to nearly 500
kilometers, and more common fighter sized aircraft at about 300 kilometers. The
Saab 2000 is a 22 ton, twin prop aircraft, with a cruising speed of 660
kilometers an hour. The aircraft can stay in the air about four hours per
sortie. For a billion dollars, Pakistan is getting six Saab 2000s with the
Ericsson PS-890 Erieye radar, and another Saab 2000s configured for regular
(fifty seats) passenger service. The radar can also spot ships at sea, and thus
can also fill in for maritime reconnaissance. Given Indias problems with AWACS
(delays in developing their own AESA radar), Pakistan will, for a few years,
have a larger AWACS force than arch-enemy India.