Pakistan Gets State-of-the-Art Airborne Surveillance System

Released on Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Saab has signed a provisional contract to supply an airborne Surveillance System for Pakistan. A number of outstanding issues remain until a contract will be finalized.

For a number of years we have been engaged in negotiations with Pakistan for an airborne surveillance system. The system will be used for surveillance, command and control in order to counter the effects of future crises and catastrophes.

Pakistan has for a long time required an airborne system for continuous surveillance of the air territory, borders and the sea. The surveillance system will, together with existing ground based radars, provide a more detailed picture to be able to conduct rescue operations and to encounter different threats to the country.

In the aftermath of the severe earth quake, the system would have been able to play a significant part in the search and rescue operations and in the logistic support. The airborne surveillance system includes Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft equipped with Ericsson Microwave Systems airborne radar system ERIEYE.

Important conditions remain to be settled until the contract will be effective. Because of speculations about the order value, Saab has made clear that the contract value is SEK 8.3 billion (approx. $1.25 billion), with two third for Saab and one third for Ericsson Microwave Systems.