Footage suggests Ukraine operating Saab 340 aircraft for first time VIDEO

Footage has surfaced that reportedly shows a Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft operating over Ukraine—a development that, if verified, would mark the first confirmed sighting of the platform in Ukrainian service and signal a major boost to the country’s aerial capabilities.

The video,believed to have been first shared on a Ukrainian-language Telegram channel and later reported by The War Zone, appears to show the aircraft in daylight flight. Its distinctive “balance beam” radar mounted along the upper fuselage is clearly visible, a defining feature of the system.

According to the outlet, this could be the first time one of Ukraine’s two Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft has been visually confirmed in operation. However, there are indications that the platform may have been active for some time prior to this sighting.

Open-source flight tracking data cited in the report suggests that a similar aircraft may have been operating over western Ukraine as early as April last year, using the callsign WELCOME in the Lviv region. Earlier still, an unidentified aircraft with the same callsign was tracked near Polish and Hungarian airspace. 

If accurate, TWZ reports that these movements may have been related to post-delivery testing or calibration flights, though experts caution that transponder signals can be manipulated to create misleading flight paths.

Stockholm announced the transfer of two Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft to Ukraine in May 2024 as part of its largest military aid package to Kyiv at the time, valued at around $1.25 billion. Officials indicated then that approximately a year would be required to train crews and prepare infrastructure for their deployment.

Russians are posting footage they claim shows likely a Swedish Saab 340 AEW&C long-range radar and control aircraft flying over Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/XkFZlok2B3

— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) March 20, 2026

Known in Swedish service as the ASC 890 or S 100D Argus, the aircraft is built around the Saab Erieye active electronically scanned array radar system. Sweden previously operated two such aircraft, both believed to have been transferred to Ukraine. Additional units are in service with countries including Thailand and Poland.

For Ukraine, the introduction of this platform represents a significant upgrade. The country’s air force has never previously operated an airborne early warning and control system, making the Saab 340 a completely new capability, as the article notes.

The aircraft’s Erieye radar can detect air and sea targets at distances of up to roughly 280 miles while operating at altitudes around 20,000 feet. It is reportedly capable of tracking up to 1,000 airborne and 500 surface targets simultaneously.

Unlike ground-based radar systems, the Erieye offers a “lookdown” capability, allowing it to detect threats flying at low altitudes without interference from terrain. The military outlet points out, that this makes it particularly effective against low-flying drones and cruise missiles—targets that are otherwise difficult to detect due to their small radar signatures and flight profiles.

With this capability, the aircraft is expected to significantly enhance Ukraine’s situational awareness and strengthen its air defense network.

By Nazrin Sadigova