Greece is to operate a Swedish air force Saab 340-based Argus equipped with Ericsson Erieye airborne early warning radar as part of a deal to buy four Erieye systems mounted on an Embraer regional jet.
Ericsson won a SKr4.5 billion ($525 million) deal for four Erieye systems in December last year (Flight International, 23 December 1998-5 January, 1999). The phased array, S-band radar will be mounted on Embraer RJ-145s.
Ericsson says a final contract will be signed within weeks. The Argus - one of six in service - will be delivered one year after signing with the Greek air force receiving its first ERJ-145 mounted system two years later.
Greece will use the Saab 340 for training and to establish operating procedures for the radar. Ericsson says Greece may operate the aircraft for just a year or until its first regional jet mounted systems arrive.
Source: Flight International
