ACS-890 vs. A-50U flying radar: what are the advantages of the aircraft that Ukraine will receive from Sweden?

The Air Force of Ukraine will receive two ASC 890 long-range radar detection aircraft from Sweden, which will help strengthen Ukraine's air defense and combat capabilities. These aircraft are equipped with advanced radar systems to detect and track long-range targets such as fighters, helicopters, cruise missiles, and maritime targets.

Until now, Ukraine has not had such equipment, while the terrorist country of Russia is actively using the A-50(U) radar. OBOZ.UA has found out what the advantage of Swedish ACS-890 is and how these aircraft will help Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression.

The ability to integrate ACS-890 with American F-16 fighters will be one of the main advantages of the Ukrainian Air Force. Unlike most ground-based radars, whose effectiveness is limited to the horizon, the ACS-890 aircraft, while at high altitude, can monitor the airspace for hundreds of kilometers.

According to the Global Security portal, the ASC 890 airborne surveillance aircraft with the Ericsson PS-890 Erieye radar with a phased array in a rectangular capsule at the top of the fuselage was developed in the early 1990s.

The Ericsson PS-890 Erieye radar uses active arrays of 200 solid-state modules. The range of the 3 GHz S-band side-looking radar is 300 km. The 900 kg antenna is housed in a 9-meter-long fairing mounted on top of the fuselage. Thanks to adaptive suppression of the side lobes, the viewing angle on each side is about 160 degrees.

At the standard operating altitude of 6000 meters, the radar has a maximum range of 450 km, while the effective range of a fighter jet-sized target is approximately 330 km. Sea targets can be detected from a distance of 320 km, but this parameter depends on the cruising altitude of the aircraft. An electronically scanned antenna can scan certain sectors while others are monitored, and one sector can be scanned in different modes simultaneously.

It is noteworthy that the ASC 890 airborne radar is effective even in a dense enemy electronic warfare environment – in conditions of strong radar interference and at low target altitudes. In addition to this, the Ericsson PS-890 Erieye radar also detects targets using the "friend or foe" system.

An important feature is that the Ericsson PS-890 Erieye system is fully compatible with NATO air defense command and control systems. So, after the American F-16 fighters appear in the Ukrainian skies, the ASC 890 will be a very effective addition to the capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force.

The ASC 890 airborne surveillance aircraft will actually be a counterweight to the enemy's A-50. On the modernized aircraft, which received the prefix "U" in the name, the Russians installed a radio system with improved parameters for detecting low-observable air targets. The Russian Federation claims that the A-50U can detect fighters and helicopters in the face of electronic jamming.

According to the Russian media, the upgraded A-50U can detect new types of aircraft and is capable of simultaneously tracking more targets and fighters than the previous modification.

"The A-50U aircraft can detect ballistic missiles at a range of up to 800 km, strategic bombers (such as the Boeing B-52) at a range of up to 650 km, and enemy fighters such as the F-35 at a range of up to 300 km. Cruise missiles such as Storm Shadow or SCAL EG can be seen by the Bumblebee at a range of up to 215 km. Ground targets, such as air defense systems or air defense systems, as well as group targets of armored vehicles, the A-50U aircraft can detect at a range of 250 to 300 km," the Russian media wrote.

At the same time, the BBC notes that the Russian airborne radar is based on the IL-76 heavy transporter and is equipped with a rotating antenna, while the Swedish ASC 890 has a fuselage-mounted antenna. This feature somewhat narrows the radar view of the Swedish radar, but allows the use of a larger antenna, which has a positive effect on the range and quality of the information received.

As a reminder, on May 29, Sweden announced its 16th largest military aid package to Ukraine. Its total amount is 13.3 billion Swedish kronor.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, several countries are asking Sweden to postpone the issue of providing Ukraine with Gripen fighter jets for some time. A number of countries believe that it would be more appropriate to focus on American F-16 fighters.

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