Defense and security company Saab has received an additional order from the Brazilian Air Force for the upgrade program of the Erieye AEW&C Mission System in Brazil. The total order amounts to MSEK 325.

Through this upgrade Erieye’s operative capacity increases and forms part of the program for modernizing aircraft model Embraer 145 AEW&C, referred to as E-99 by the Brazilian Air Force.

E-99 plays an important role in the control of Brazil’s airspace and border surveillance and is, for example, used to prevent drugs smuggling and other illegal activities. Erieye will also be used to provide security for the major sporting events - including the 2016 Summer Olympic Games - that will take place in Brazil.

“The Brazilian Air Force’s Erieye system on the Embraer 145 has been in operational service for approximately ten years and with the new features now commissioned our Brazilian customer will get an even better system to control airspace and prevent criminal activities”, said Micael Johansson, Head of Saab’s business area Electronic Defence Systems.

This order was placed by the Brazilian Air Force’s ‘Comissão Coordenadora do Programa Aeronave de Combate’ (FAB COPAC) and Saab received an order from Embraer in late February within the same upgrade program. Deliveries will take place from 2014 until 2017.

Saab’s Erieye AEW&C Mission System provides excellent surveillance capabilities and control over air and sea targets and has been well received on the market. The first system for Brazil on the Embraer 145 became operational in 2002. Erieye is also in operation on Embraer 145 in Mexico and Greece. The very first Erieye system was delivered in 1997 for aircraft model 340 for the Swedish Air Force. Customers of the Saab 340 system also include Thailand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Saab is also delivering Erieye to Pakistan, installed on the Saab 2000 aircraft.