Sweden donates radar surveillance planes to Ukraine

Sweden will donate two radar surveillance and command aircraft to Ukraine to strengthen its defenses in the war with Russia, the Swedish government said on Wednesday (28). The delivery is part of the country's largest aid package to Ukraine to date, costing around $1.3 billion.

The Saab Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASC) 890 aircraft enables easier identification of long-range targets and will help Ukraine with the planned introduction of F-16 fighter jets donated by other Western countries, Sweden said.

“They will complement and reinforce the F-16 systems,” Defense Minister Pal Jonson said at a press conference in Stockholm.

Ukraine's air force, which has only a relatively small fleet of aging Soviet-era jets, wants the F-16s to help improve its defenses amid constant Russian airstrikes and to resist the Kremlin's advanced fighter jets.

Earlier this week, Ukraine's defense minister said he expected the first F-16 fighter jets to be delivered “very soon.”

The Swedish government said last week it planned to provide military support to Ukraine totaling $7.1 billion over three years.

Sweden will now accelerate orders for S 106 Global Eye aircraft to replace the donated planes, Jonson said.

Source: CNN Brasil

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