Air tracker data from Flight Radar indicates that a Saab 340 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) of the Polish Air Force system took off for its first combat duty on November 27, 2024. This was one of the two such radar surveillance aircraft Poland had received from Sweden earlier this year, Polish website Defence24 reminds.
The flight tracker data provided by the public service shows that the combat duty route neared the borders with belarus and the Kaliningrad region of russia, the duration of the mission is not disclosed.
Read more: How Long it Took Poles to Train For Saab 340 AEW: Ukraine's Perspective
Wygląda na to, że (ex) Saab 340 AEW rozpoczęły zgodnie z zapowiedzią dyżur bojowy nad polskim niebem. Samoloty te mają wzmocnić dozór przestrzeni powietrznej i podnieść świadomość sytuacyjna https://t.co/h1ssLmW8DP systemów OPL oraz pilotów myśliwców. Ważne wzmocnienie. pic.twitter.com/rxOOHNQ9Op— Mariusz Marszałkowski (@MJMarszalkowski) November 27, 2024
Defense Express adds, this episode is a vivid illustration of how much time is actually needed to not just train personnel to work with the Saab 340 AEW but also to start performing combat duty on this airborne radar system.
Let's recall the chronology of events. In early August 2024, the Polish Ministry of Defense announced the graduation of two crews for the Saab 340 AEWs that were yet to reach full operational readiness. This milestone signified how long it takes to master this kind of aircraft: for Poland, the training of 8 pilots, 11 technicians, and 9 system operators took approximately 7 to 8 months, including the theoretical course lasting 2–3 months, and the 5-month practice.
Interestingly, the theory training took place in Sweden, the homeland of Saab 340, while the practical part started in summer 2024 already in Poland upon arrival of the second Saab 340 AEW&C ordered.
That said, we must mention a few important nuances. When the completion of training was announced, Polish defense ministry secretary Paweł Bejda at the same time stressed that the new equipment would reach initial operational readiness in September 2024.
In summary: even after the crew training finished, it took almost extra 3 months to put the aircraft into service and 2 more before it took off for its first mission.
For a broader picture, let's allign the figures with the timeline of equipment deliveries to Poland. The contract for two Saab 340 AEW&Cs was signed on July 25th, 2023. The first arrived on March 6th, 2024, and the second followed on June 10th.
These data are of particular importance for Ukraine, the eastern neighbor of Poland, currently at war against russia. Sweden pledged two of its ASC890 systems (local name of Saab 340) to the Ukrainian Defense Forces as military aid in late May 2024.
If the transfer proceeds at a similar pace and the practical course starts with the arrival of the first Saab 340, Ukraine would need to wait up to 5 more months for the crew to finish training plus 3 months to get the system ready for its first patrolling.
This projection foresees the beginning of first Saab 340 AEW&C missions in the Ukrainian Armed Forces around April–May 2025 at the fastest.
Read more: Dutch Defense Chief Explains Why Transferring Swedish Fighter Jets to Ukraine Doesn't Make Sense
