Media reported that Swedish Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft had flown over Ukraine – OSINT projects have refuted claim
On April 21, reports emerged that a Swedish Saab 340 AEW& C (ASC 890) reconnaissance aircraft had arrived in Ukraine and conducted a test flight over Lviv region.
This was reported by the U.S.-based outlet ClashReport, according to Censor.NET.
It was noted that the Saab 340 AEW&C was equipped with an Erieye AESA radar, capable of detecting aerial and maritime targets at distances of up to 400 kilometers.
"It will strengthen Ukraine’s defense against cruise missiles and support incoming F-16s through Link 16 integration," ClashReport stated.
What do OSINT investigators say?
According to the specialized tracking platform Flightradar24, an unidentified aircraft using the callsign WELCOME was observed flying over Lviv region on April 21 — but no registration data or additional information about the aircraft was available.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian OSINT investigators from the Exilenova project refuted claims about a Saab 340 AEW&C test flight over Lviv region.
"The flight path corresponds to the typical activity of a Soviet-designed An-26KPA laboratory aircraft or a similar type, which is used for testing and calibrating aeronautical equipment," the team noted.
It is worth recalling that on May 30, 2024, Swedish Prime Minister’s spokesperson Tom Samuelsson announced that Sweden would transfer two ASC 890 airborne surveillance and command aircraft to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package.
At the time, Air Force spokesperson Illia Yevlash stated that the transfer of the ASC 890s would provide a significant boost to Ukraine’s previously delivered F-16 fighter jets, helping Ukrainian forces detect targets from a safe distance.
