LAAD 2009: Saab Makes Case For Gripen As F-X2 Choice

LAAD 2009: Saab Makes Case For Gripen As F-X2 Choice

(NSI News Source Info) RIO DE JANIERO - April 16, 2009: In a press briefing at the Latin America Aerospace and Defense conference, executives of Swedish company Saab appealed to Brazil's desire to gain technology through its fighter jet competition, and said Saab would make offset investments in Brazil equal to the size of the contract, which Brazil plans to award this year. The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a 4.5 generation fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. Gripen International acts as a prime contracting organisation and is responsible for marketing, selling and supporting the Gripen fighter around the world. The aircraft is in service with the Swedish Air Force, the Czech Air Force, the Hungarian Air Force and the South African Air Force, and has been ordered by the Royal Thai Air Force. A total of 236 Gripens have been ordered as of 2008.

In October 2008, it was reported that the Brazilian Air Force had selected three finalists in their F-X2 program. They are Dassault Rafale, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Gripen NG, and the number of aircraft involved are said to be anywhere between 36 and 120. The decision should be made early 2009. On 2 February 2009, Saab submitted a tender for 36 Gripen NGs to the Brazilian Air Force Command. The $2.2 billion competition for 36 fighters pits the Gripen against Boeing's F-18 and Dassault's Rafale. Saab is trying to displace French and U.S. companies in its fighter strategy for Brazil, India and South Africa, said Bob Kemp, Gripen International's sales and marketing director. For nations not aligned with NATO, Saab's strategy is to "move the French, who dominated this market over the last 20, 30 years [with] the Mirage [and] Jaguar," and persuade customers to choose Gripen fighters instead, Kemp said. "So far, we've been most successful here and getting ourselves established in South Africa, with campaigns in India and in Brazil here. "We believe that we have got a unique opportunity to succeed in these nations because they're looking for independence. And this is an area that we offer something quite unique, because Sweden itself is an independent nation and we recognize the value of controlling your own destiny," he said. More than 99 percent of fighters worldwide come from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Kemp said. "I can tell you those guys don't go around handing out their technology. That's why they still have over 99 percent of the market. If you want to do something different and control your own destiny, there is only one choice, and that is Sweden." Saab has completed 78 test flights with the Next-Generation Gripen it is proposing for Brazil's contest, Kemp said. The company received nine requests for proposals or for information involving the Gripen from countries worldwide.