A submission from Embraer and Ericsson for an ERJ145-based Erieye airborne early warning system was short-listed by the Greek air force for its new multi-million dollar AEW program. The Swedish-Brazilian proposal faces competition from Lockheed Martin C-130J and Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye bids, both using similar well-tried mission-system avionics and rotating AN/APS-145 radar in a dorsal radome, in contrast with Erieye's later-generation electronically-scanned PS-890 planar array. As a low-cost installation, this is claimed to match the performance of any of its competitors, with maximum horizon coverage up to 450 kilometers (242 nmi), with air-to-air, air-to-sea, and moving target indication (MTI) modes.

As Erieye launch customer, with its sixth and last Saab 340B (S 100B) Argus on show at Farnborough, the Swedish air force employs a fully-automated data download system to ground processing stations, limiting crew requirements to only pilot and co-pilot. Brazil, which is ordering four to five twin-turbofan ERJ145SA transports with Erieye dorsal installations for its SIVAM Amazon regional defense program, will have up to three onboard operators for initial data evaluation and tactical coordination, in addition to data-transfer systems. Greece also intends to employ onboard operators with a similar system, which would be developed in conjunction with Thomson-CSF in France, plus IFF and other avionics changes required to ensure NATO compatibility.

Greece is expected to complete its AEW evaluations with a decision to be announced before year-end, or possibly early next year. The first Brazilian ERJ145SA is due to fly in mid-1999, for deliveries to start in 2000. The Swedish air force has taken delivery of four S 100Bs to date, and is well advanced with their operational development.

By John Fricker