DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil Chooses Swedish Fighter Jet In $4.5B Deal

DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil Chooses Swedish Fighter Jet In $4.5B Deal

*President Dilma Rousseff Announces Brazil Is Buying Sweden'sSaab Gripen Jet Fighters

International Business Times

*UPDATE 2-Saab wins Brazil jets deal after NSA spying sours Boeing bid

Reuters

*The Aviationist » SAAB Gripen wins Brazil fighter jet bid. Boeing ...

theaviationist.com/2013/12/18/gripen-has-won-in-brazil/

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Bradley Brooks - AP
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - December 18, 2013: RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's government said Wednesday that Sweden's Saab won a long-delayed fighter jet contract initially worth $4.5 billion that will supply at least 36 planes to Latin America's biggest nation.

The decision comes as Brazil seeks to ramp up its defense capabilities to patrol a porous land border that's more than 9,300 miles (15,000 kilometers) long, much of it covered by jungle, over which arms and drugs easily flow. Brazil is also seeking better protection for massive offshore oil fields that it has discovered in recent years.

Brazil's Defense Minister Celso Amorim said that the choice after some 15 years of debate was made after "careful study and consideration, taking into account performance, transfer of technology and cost, not just of acquisition but of maintenance. The choice was made on the best balance of these three factors."

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt wrote on Twitter that the decision was "a tribute to Swedish technology and competitiveness."

The decision to buy the Swedish jet over Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet or France's Dassault Rafale came as a surprise to many. The French jet had been favored by former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, while current leader Dilma Rousseff had been said to favor the Boeing bid.

Some analysts said the Boeing jet was hurt by the fallout over revelations six months ago that the U.S. National Security Agency carried out a massive espionage program that directly targeted Rousseff's own communications.

That led to Rousseff canceling a planned state visit to Washington in October.

"Dilma had been favoring the Boeing plane and a lot of people thought she would announce her decision during her state visit to Washington," said David Fleischer, a political scientist at the University of Brasilia. "Boeing was very close but then the NSA booted them out of the air."

Others, however, contend the Swedish jet, which was favored by Brazil's Air Force, according to an internal assessment leaked to the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper in 2010, was always going to win the competition and that the decision had little to do with the NSA spy revelations.

Alexandre Barros, a political risk consultant with the Brasilia-based firm Early Warning, said many in the government had long opposed Boeing because the company's bid was less flexible in terms of technology transfers than the two European plane makers and also because they were wary of becoming indebted to Washington.

"The Americans tend to think that if you buy arms from them you are automatically their allies," said Barros. "Brazil doesn't want that kind of link."

He said that Brazilian officials long prized their autonomy from the U.S., and as the main power in South America they don't want to be in the position of being perceived as having to support American policies on the continent, particularly in Colombia and Venezuela. Part of the draw of Saab's bid was that Sweden doesn't have any political clout in the region.

Regardless of the main reasons, Brazil's military hopes the government making the decision after some 15 years of debate will lead to advances in its defense capabilities.

Brazil in the mid-1980s had the largest defense industry in the developing world. It became the world's eighth-largest arms exporter amid strong demand for its armored personnel carriers, reconnaissance and anti-aircraft vehicles, troop carriers and rocket launchers.

However, the industry went into a tailspin when the Cold War ended and demand for weapons declined. In 1990, Brazil's two largest arms manufacturers, Engesa and Avibras, sought protection from creditors for debts of about $200 million.

___

Associated Press writers Jenny Barchfield in Rio, Karl Ritter in Stockholm and Stan Lehman in Sao Paulo contributed to this report.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Bradley Brooks - AP
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DTN News - SAAB JAS 39 GRIPEN NEWS: How The Gripen Engine Will Increase Power

DTN News - SAAB JAS 39 GRIPEN NEWS: How The Gripen Engine Will Increase Power

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources DefPro

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 13, 2011: At the major international aero engine conference ISABE 2011 in Gothenburg today, Volvo Aero will present a number of technical solutions to increase the thrust produced by the RM12 Gripen engine.

Volvo Aero has the main responsibility for the Gripen engine. The company is constantly faced with tough challenges: requirements placed on a military engine are considerably tougher than those on commercial engine; military engines need to withstand the effects flying at double the speed and double the altitude of commercial engines. The Gripen aircraft reached an important milestone in the spring of 2011 when it passed 150 000 flying hours without having suffered a single engine related accident or incident. This was the result of proactive and methodical work between Volvo Aero, Saab, FMV (the Swedish Defence Material Agency) and the Air Forces operating the Gripen. The Gripen will be in service for more than another 30 years so Volvo Aero is continually working to see how the RM12 can be developed in the future. In general, fighter aircraft are becoming heavier as they are required to manage several roles, and this in turn requires more thrust and increased cooling air. When it comes to the thrust produced, the aim is an increase of 2% to 15%, depending on customer requirement. In conjunction with the start of the major international aero engine conference, ISABE, Torbjörn Salomonsson, Project Leader at Volvo Aero, will present development opportunities for the RM12. Increased thrust will be enabled through developments in three main areas: • New engine control. • A new or modified fan providing an increased mass flow through the engine. This relates to an advanced aero design and so called blisks (bladed disks). • A new turbine with materials able to withstand higher temperatures, and an increased cooling flow. Volvo Aero's engineers will achieve this by adapting and modifying a more recent version of the turbine from General Electric. ”We have stated previously that it is possible to significantly increase the thrust of the existing RM12 engine at a very competitive cost. We will then have a more powerful and economical engine. It also means that we can upgrade the 220 engines that the Air Force already has whilst maintaining engine competence within country," says Henrik Runnemalm, Head of Research at Volvo Aero. ”From a financial perspective, it is a good thing that the RM12 can be further developed so that investments in the RM12 engine made by Gripen users can be fully realised. The average flight time is currently around 700-800 hours per engine. The remaining life per engine is up to four times this," he adds. The presentation is taking place at the international ISABE-conference in Gothenburg, with some 350 aero engine experts from around the world. The conference continues until Friday Sept. 16th, and the program can be read at: http://www.isabe2011.com/

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DTN News - BULGARIA DEFENSE NEWS: Bulgaria To Spend $1.5 billion On Military Equipment

DTN News - BULGARIA DEFENSE NEWS: Bulgaria To Spend $1.5 billion On Military Equipment

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Reuters / ForexPros.com

(NSI News Source Info) SOFIA, Bulgaria - April 22, 2011:

Bulgaria plans to spend up to 2 billion levs ($1.5 billion) on buying and maintaining military equipment by 2020, Defence Minister Anyo Angelov said on Thursday.

Bulgaria -- a NATO and European Union member -- envisages buying fighter aircraft so it can secure its airspace within the alliance's integrated system for anti-missile defence.

The ministry, which has sent letters of interest to the U.S., France, Germany and Sweden about the purchase of eight new or used fighter aircraft, has already received an offer from Saab for its Gripen jets.

Next week, the Defence Ministry will meet representatives of European aerospace and defence group EADS and the U.S. government, Angelov said.

It also expects to receive a response from France's Dassault Aviation and Lockheed Martin Corp.

Angelov has previously said the tender for the fighter jet purchase will take place in 2012.

The Defence Ministry plans to allocate 1.5 percent of annual gross domestic product from its budget to fund the programme, which also envisages the modernisation of its MiG-29 fighters.

(Reporting by Irina Ivanova; Editing by Sophie Hares)

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DTN News: Future Missile System For Gripen

DTN News: Future Missile System For Gripen

Defence and security company Saab has received an order from FMV (the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration) regarding the integration of the active radar-guided Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile, Meteor. The order is worth MSEK 312 spread over four years.

Source: DTN News / SAAB

(NSI News Source Info) LINKOPING, Sweden - September 15, 2010: The integration means that Meteor will be adapted to other Gripen systems, such as the radar and displays. The order includes test flights and test firing, as well as the integration of Meteor with support and maintenance systems such as simulators and planning computers. The Swedish Gripen C/D aircraft will also have a two-way datalink for communication between the aircraft and the missile once it has been fired. "Meteor has substantially better performance than any other BVR missile existing today, which will obviously increase Gripen's ability to defend against other aircraft," says Lennart Sindahl, Head of business area Aeronautics within Saab. "The fact that Gripen is also being used internationally as an airborne platform in the development of Meteor shows that we have a technical level in Sweden that few other countries can match." Gripen has been used since 2006 as the test aircraft for the development of Meteor. Multiple missiles have been fired from Gripen to date. This experience can now be utilised for a more cost-effective integration of Meteor with the Swedish Armed Forces' Gripen C/D. The order mainly concerns Saab's operations in Linköping and to some extent Gothenburg. Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions ranging from military defence to civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents and constantly develops adapts and improves new technology to meet customers’ changing needs. Meteor has been designed to defeat current and future threats at beyond visual range, with an understanding performance that will totally redefine an aircraft's air combat capability. Meteor has the largest No Escape Zone of any air-to-air weapon, resulting in a long stand-off range and high kill probability that ensures air superiority and pilot survivability. The programme is on schedule to deliver the first production deliveries in 2012 and is the result of a successful six-nation European collaboration, in which Saab Dynamics of Sweden is a partner of the prime contractor, MBDA. The Gripen is the first of the new generation fighter aircraft to enter service and the first to be used for firing Meteor, the high-tech beyond visual range missiles of the future. Using the latest available technology it is capable of performing an extensive range of air-to-air and air-to-surface operational missions and employing the latest weapons. Gripen, designed to meet the demands of current and future threats, is in service with the Swedish, Czech Republic, Hungarian and South African Air Forces and has also been ordered by the Royal Thai Air Force. The UK Empire Test Pilots´ School (ETPS) is also operating Gripen as its advanced fast jet platform for test pilots world wide.

DTN News: Swedish Saab Seems To Be Out Of India MMRCA

DTN News: Swedish Saab Seems To Be Out Of India MMRCA Source: DTN News (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - March 9, 2010: The high-voltage $11 billion contest to sell India 126 Medium Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MMRCA) is reaching the end of the trials phase in a blaze of potential controversy. Today, the last of the six contenders being evaluated by the Indian Air Force — the Swedish Gripen — will fly into Bangalore for trials. But Business Standard has learnt that the fighters that will touch down are not the ones Gripen International has offered: the JAS-39IN Gripen NG. Instead, two older-model Gripen-D fighters will arrive. The Gripen NG, a light, agile, ultra-modern fighter built by Swedish aerospace giant Saab, has always been one of the hottest contenders in the fray. Saab’s default on the MoD’s trial directive, which lays down that the fighter being offered must be the one that comes for trials, will delight its rivals — Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Dassault, Eurofighter and MiG — since Gripen is now vulnerable to disqualification. The arrival of the Gripen-D instead of the Gripen NG has a simple cause: the Swedish Air Force, having opted to buy the Gripen NG, has ordered a series of improvements on the Gripen NG prototype. With those under way, Sweden’s flight certification agency, SMV, has ruled that the prototypes require additional flight-testing in Sweden before the aircraft can be sent to India. Confirming these developments, Gripen International’s Director India Eddy de la Motte told Business Standard, “The Gripen NG prototype cannot come just yet to India as it is required in Sweden for testing and evaluation by the Swedish Air Force which is interested in buying the fighter. Indian pilots have not yet flown the Gripen NG, but we will make sure that they get an opportunity at the very earliest.” Sources close to the Gripen campaign say IAF pilots will be offered a chance to fly the Gripen NG during a visit to Sweden from April 6 to April 10. Gripen International will also ask for fresh dates for bringing the Gripen NG to India for trials. Even without having flown the Gripen NG prototype, IAF pilots have been extremely impressed by the fighter’s capabilities. Besides superb avionics and superior flight performance, they say the Gripen NG can land on an 800-metre stretch of highway; and then refuel, rearm and take-off within 10 minutes. This allows each Gripen NG to fly far more sorties per day than any other aircraft today. The IAF pilots who have visited the Gripen simulators in Sweden have also been impressed by its electronic warfare capabilities and by the training facilities on offer. The Swedish MoD’s unexpected refusal to allow the Gripen NG to India for trials has blown the race wide open. From a clear front-runner in the eyes of the IAF, the Gripen NG’s very participation in trials now depends upon a decision to be taken by the IAF and the Indian MoD.

DTN News: Pakistan Gets First AWACS Aircraft From Sweden

DTN News: Pakistan Gets First AWACS Aircraft From Sweden *Source: DTN News / Defense Media (NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - December 10, 2009: The Pakistani air force says it has acquired the first of four Awacs surveillance aircraft from Sweden to boost its air defences. The Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft is a variant of the Saab 2000 regional transport turboprop equipped with the Saab Systems Erieye reconnaissance radar. An air force statement said the Saab-2000 Awacs aircraft landed at one of the main operating bases on Tuesday. The statement did not say anything about the cost of the deal and when the remaining three would be delivered. The acquisition of the Awacs comes after arch-rival India bought its own Awacs systems from Israel in June. The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad says the Saab-2000 aircraft will boost the Pakistani military's early warning capabilities in the event of hostilities with India. The aircraft can be used to provide information on all three spheres of military conflict - aerial, naval and land based. Our correspondent says the Awacs planes and advanced F-16 fighter-bombers soon to arrive from the US will provide a qualitative edge to the Pakistan air force against its numerically superior adversary. Pakistani military officials say the planes also have a greater range than similar aircraft in the Indian military and can be used as airborne command centres in case of a possible nuclear conflict.

DTN News: Saab Wins Upgrade Contract For the SK60 Training Aircraft

DTN News: Saab Wins Upgrade Contract For the SK60 Training Aircraft

*Source: DTN News / Defense News (Click her for link)

(NSI News Source Info) STOCKHOLM, Sweden - September 22, 2009: The defence and security company Saab (STO:SAABB) has received an order valued at MSEK 130 from FMV (the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration) for the development and upgrade of the Armed Forces SK60 training aircraft.

The Saab Sk 60 entered service in 1966. Although almost 40 years old it's still the mainstay of the Swedish training fleet.

"This is an important order for Saab that will secure additional jobs, both in terms of workshop and engineering resources. The upgrade involves the modernisation of the SK60 aircraft, making them more competitive for many more years to come," says Lars-Erik Wige, business unit manager, Saab Aerotech.

The order includes the installation of a new GPS, audible altitude and primary warning signals for the pilot plus the replacement of certain instruments. The result is a new aircraft cabin layout in which, for example, the altitude and speed go from being displayed in metres and kilometers to providing the pilot with information in feet and knots, just as in today's Gripen system. The upgrade will be fully completed by the end of 2011.

The contract follows the Swedish Armed Forces' plans to modernise the SK60 training platform in order to secure its use until 2017.

In December 2008, Saab and FMV signed a contract whereby Saab, as the main supplier, was given the responsibility for handling the operation, maintenance, and readiness of all SK60 aircraft. Through this commitment, Saab ensures that the system is airworthy and is available for the Swedish Air Force Wings in accordance with the Armed Forces' requirements.

SK60 is the military designation for the Saab 105, a twin-engine jet aircraft that first flew in 1963 and that has been used by the Swedish Armed Forces since 1967 for mainly training purposes.

Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions ranging from military defence to civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents and constantly develops, adopts and improves new technology to meet customers’ changing needs. www.saabgroup.com

The information is that which Saab AB is required to declare by the Securities Business Act and/or the Financial instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication on September 21 at 12:15. This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com

DTN News: Sweden Sweetens Offer In Bid To Win Brazil Fighter Jet Deal

DTN News: Sweden Sweetens Offer In Bid To Win Brazil Fighter Jet Deal *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) BRASÍLIA, Brazil - September 19, 2009: Sweden has sweetened its bid for a lucrative contract to sell 36 fighter jets to Brazil, promising that 40 percent of the supersonic Gripen aircraft would be built in Brazil, officials said Thursday. Saab 39 Gripen Features ~ In designing the aircraft, several layouts were studied. Saab ultimately selected an unstable canard design. The canard configuration gives a high onset of pitch rate and low drag, enabling the aircraft to be faster, have longer range and carry a larger payload.The combination of delta wing and canards gives the Gripen significantly better takeoff and landing performance and flying characteristics. The totally integrated avionics make it a "programmable" aircraft. It also has a built-in electronic warfare unit, making it possible to load more ordnance onto the aircraft without losing self defence capabilities.The Gripen affords more flexibility than earlier generations of combat aircraft used by Sweden, and its operating costs are about two thirds of those for JA 37 Viggen.In the Swedish Air Force's list of requirements was the ability to operate from 800 m runways. Early on in the programme, all flights from Saab's facility in Linkeping were flown from within a 9 m x 800 m outline painted on the runway. Stopping distance was reduced by extending the relatively large air brakes; using the control surfaces to push the aircraft down, enabling the wheel brakes to apply more force and tilting the canards forwards, making them into large air brakes and further pushing the aircraft down.The Gripen uses the modern PS-05/A pulse-doppler X-band radar, developed by Ericsson and GEC-Marconi, and based on the latter's advanced Blue Vixen radar for the Sea Harrier (which inspired the Eurofighter's CAPTOR radar as well).* The offer came on top of a promise that Brazil would have full access to the technology used in the state-of-the-art military aircraft. A similar offer helped give France front-runner status in high-stakes bidding for the coveted fighter jet contract, valued at four to seven billion dollars. "The Swedish government and the SAAB motor company are 100 percent committed to making the technology transfer," Swedish State Secretary for Defense Hakan Jevrell said at a press conference, accompanied by a Saab representative. "There will be no restriction in the transfer of technology." Jevrell said that in addition to the technology, Sweden would offer Brazil "a very competitive price" for the fighter jets. The sweetener offered by Stockholm is the latest from one of three major aerospace powers -- France, Sweden and the United States -- jostling to win the coveted fighter jet contract, as Brazil seeks to modernize its air force in a bid to become Latin America's preeminent military power. French manufacturer Dassault appears to have a lock on the contract: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and French President Nicolas Sarkozy last week issued a joint statement opening Brazil's official negotiations to buy 36 of Dassault's Rafale jets without, however, ending the tender process. The Swedish offer is in line with requirements laid out by President Lula, who said he wants to secure technology transfers and build the planes in Brazil. Dassault, fielding its high-tech Rafale fighter, had been seen as the leading contender because of its guarantee to share all technology with Brazil. "The air force has the technological know-how to make the evaluation, and it will do so," he added. "But the decision is political and strategic, and it's up to the president of the republic and no one else," Lula said recently. Brazil has set a September 21 deadline for the contenders to finalize their bids.

DTN News: Brazil Sets Deadline For New Bids In Fighter Competition

DTN News: Brazil Sets Deadline For New Bids In Fighter Competition

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) BRASÍLIA, Brazil - September 15, 2009: The French company Dassault has until September 21 to formalize to the Brazilian Air Force a new business proposal for the Rafale fighter that is compatible with the parameters specified by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. (Image: Rafale fighter jet)

This deadline also applies to the other two competitors, Boeing (F-18) and Saab (Gripen NG), who may wish to match the French proposals.

It is the expectation of the Brazilian air force to complete the technical review process by the end of October, so that the information can be delivered to the Minister of Defense who will then pass it on to the President, who will carry out policy and strategic analysis, and take the final decision.

"Now we have to evaluate the proposals. The commitments that President Sarkozy made will have to be confirmed by Dassault's own offer," Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said last Thursday [Sept. 10—Ed.]. "The important thing is that there has been a political decision of the President to expand the strategic alliance with France. ... for this policy decision to come into effect, it depends on Dassault and also the other [bidders], because there needs to be a comparative evaluation," the minister said.

Jobim said that the evaluation process is following its normal course, and rejected criticism of those who claim that the government rushed to announce a preference for the Rafale, with conditions discussed with the French government. "The ones who rushed were the ones who jumped to a conclusion that was never stated [by the government], and that is why the President had to confirm that ‘we are going back’ to negotiations.”

During the news conference by Presidents Lula and Sarkozy, on September 7, on the insistence of journalists who wanted to know whether the negotiations with Dassault’s would be cancelled, the President said, "Our colleagues worked until almost two in the morning. I even had time for a meeting with the Defense Minister to discuss in depth the discussions they had. Clearly, this means nothing more and nothing less than was stated in the [joint] communiqué, i.e. that we decided to start negotiations for the purchase of the Rafale.”

DTN News: Sweden’s SAAB Offers India Advanced Radar With Gripen Combat Jet

DTN News: Sweden’s SAAB Offers India Advanced Radar With Gripen Combat Jet

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - September 11, 2009: The race for an Indian Air Force (IAF) order for 126 combat jets in a deal worth $10 billion just got more interesting with Swedish plane maker SAAB offering an advanced version of a state-of-the-art radar with its Gripen fighter and also the wherewithal to enable its programming here.

The Gripen is a contender in the Indian MRCA Competition for 126 multi-role combat aircraft. Gripen International handed over its proposal on 28 April 2008. The company is offering the Gripen IN, a version of the Gripen NG for India's tender, and has opened an office in New Delhi in order to support its efforts in the Indian market. On 4 February 2009, it was announced that Saab had partnered with the Indian Tata Group to develop a new Gripen variant to fit India's needs. 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.

“What we are offering is a second generation AESA (advanced extended search array radar) that incorporates a swishplate that enables it to rotate and considerably enhances its capabilities over the existing radar,” Gripen International’s India director Eddy de la Motte told reporters Wednesday.

“The radar will come with its software source code.” The software source code has been a sticky point, with at least two of the six manufacturers in the race for the IAF order, which could go up to 200 planes, expressing reservations on transferring this to India. Without the code, the IAF would be dependent on the manufacturer who is selected for the order for programming the radar, thus impinging on the country’s national security, a defence analyst pointed out. Listing the other advantages of the single-engined Gripen, whose IN version is currently on offer to be followed by the NG (next generation) version, de la Motte pointed to its low lifecycle costs, quick turnaround time, quick engine replacement time, advanced avionics and the fact that the IAF could install a weapons suite of is choice on the aircraft. “In terms of costs, including the life cycle cost, the Gripen is 50 percent cheaper that the other single-engined aircraft (in the fray) and 25 percent cheaper that the double-engined aircraft (in contention),” the SAAB official pointed out. While the IAF has already begun its flight evaluation trials of the six jets in the running, it is yet to resolve the contentious issue of whether it wants a single-engined or a twin-engined aircraft. When the IAF first floated its Request For Information (RFI), it was looking for a replacement for its aging Soviet-era Mig-21, a single engined fighter. Of the six aircraft now in contention, only two - the Gripen and the Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper - are single engined. The other four - the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, the French Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon built by a European conglomerate and the Russian Mig-35 - are twin-engined. The SAAB official pointed out that the Gripen was the only aircraft that provided the IAF the opportunity to select the weapons of its choice. “With the other manufacturers, the IAF will have to take the weapons the aircraft comes with. With the Gripen, the IAF can chose from the best that is available in the international market,” de la Motte maintained. The flight trials, being conducted in humid conditions in Bangalore, desert conditions in Jaisalmer and high-altitude conditions in Leh, will conclude in March 2010. Thereafter, the field will be narrowed down to two or three aircraft, after which the price negotiations will begin, with the first of the planes arriving in 2012-13. Eighteen of the aircraft will be purchased in flyaway condition and the remaining will be manufactured by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under a transfer of technology agreement.

DTN News: Saab May Make Gripen Jet fighter In Brazil To Help Win Order

DTN News: Saab May Make Gripen Jet fighter In Brazil To Help Win Order *Source: DTN News / Bloomberg (NSI News Source Info) STOCKHOLM, Sweden - July 8, 2009: Saab AB, the Swedish maker of the Gripen jet fighter, is ready to make Brazil the manufacturing center for the aircraft to increase its chances of winning a $1.8 billion order and safeguard the model’s future. On the 11 June the first single-seat Gripen C destined for the South African Air Force flew for the first time. Flown by Saab test pilot Richard Ljungberg the aircraft took off from Saab's facility at Linköping in Sweden at 13.00 and touched down safely back at Linköping at 14.03 in the afternoon. The Swedish Chief Prosecutor Christer van der Kwast decided on 16 June to close the preliminary investigation into Saab concerning alleged illegal methods in connection with the sale of Gripen. Gripen participated in a multinational exercise conducted over northern Sweden between the 8th and 16th June. Air Forces from ten nations participated in the NATO-led operation Loyal Arrow to train methods for quick reaction and the ability to participate in international efforts. The Annual Report on offset performance for 2008 has been approved by the Czech Ministry of Defence. The report concluded that the Gripen industrial co-operation programme in the Czech Republic generated CZK 4.94 billion in export value for the country. On 2 June, Saab attended a conference on Swedish- Brazilian Industrial co-operation being held in São Paulo, together with the Brazilian Industry association, FIESP, and the Swedish Trade Council. Saab is prepared to shift as much as 50 percent of future Gripen production to the South American country, where the main competition to provide 36 warplanes is from Boeing Co.’s F/A-18, Bob Kemp, marketing chief for the $50 million plane, said in an interview. Final assembly work has already been offered to Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA, or Embraer, he said. Saab is betting on the Brazilian order to rescue the flagship Gripen as the production backlog shrinks. Winning the contract, which may be awarded as early as next month, is crucial to establishing the model as the warplane of choice in markets not already dominated by Boeing and Lockheed Martin Corp., which is grabbing market share with its F-35. “Maybe in the future Brazil will become the leading exporter of the next-generation Gripen,” Kemp said yesterday by telephone from Linkoeping, Sweden, where Saab is based. “This fits perfectly with their strategic ambitions. We are looking at six or seven major defense companies that have the potential of offering equipment for our aircraft.” Saab fell 0.9 percent to 57.25 kronor in Stockholm trading. The stock has declined 20 percent this year, giving the company a market value of 6.42 billion kronor ($812 million). Recommendation Brazil’s defense ministry said that final bids for the contract were submitted last month from Boeing, Saab and France’s Dassault Aviation SA, which is pitching the Rafale. The air force will make a recommendation to Defense Minister Nelson Jobim in early August, with the final decision in the hands of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Saab may be able to fend off Boeing because it can transfer more technology to Brazil than the Chicago-based company, Kemp said, adding that the Gripen costs about 20 percent less than the more-sophisticated F/A-18 and is better matched to Brazil’s need for a low-maintenance fighter able to operate in small numbers from widely dispersed airfields. Spare parts and maintenance may also cost one-third less, he said. While Brazil’s initial requirement is to replace a batch of aging Mirage jets made by Paris-based Dassault, the country may need as many as 120 planes, Kemp said, each with a life of as many as 40 years. ‘Weak at Home’ “In terms of value for money the Gripen is a superb aircraft, but Saab is at a terrible disadvantage in not having a strong home market,” said Richard Aboulafia, vice president at Teal Group, a Fairfax, Virginia-based consultancy. While the model has so far won 250 orders, 204 of them are from Sweden, where some planes have been leased out as the government reins in defense spending. The future of the 1,320 mile-per-hour plane will be determined by purchases in Brazil, India and Switzerland within the next 18 months, Aboulafia said. Saab may need to provide more inducements because it can’t match the offset work that Boeing can offer in fields such as civil aerospace, he said. Brazil would be granted a full 50-50 partnership on development, production and marketing of the Gripen for export, the executive said, including the manufacture of high-value communications, display and avionics systems. Saab has so far won only two export contracts for the Gripen, with South Africa buying 26 planes and Thailand taking six. Deliveries will run out in 2012 and output is down to 10 to 12 aircraft a year from about 15 previously, with suppliers including Volvo Aero, maker of the Gripen’s RM12 engine, already winding down production. Broad Collaboration Saab’s plan to develop an enhanced “next generation” Gripen means it can offer Brazil collaboration from the design stage on, unlike Boeing and Dassault, Kemp said. The size and status of the Brazilian aerospace industry makes a partnership feasible, he added. Embraer is the world’s fourth-biggest planemaker after Boeing, Airbus SAS and Bombardier Inc. “I think there’s no question in the minds of Brazilians that Boeing’s product is the best and competitively priced,” Mike Coggins, senior manager for business development at Boeing’s defense unit, said by telephone from St. Louis. It makes no financial sense to co-produce locally the 36 planes Brazil is seeking, although a larger order in the future may provide the necessary scale, he said. As part of its offsetting technology transfer package, Boeing will allow Brazilian companies to help develop future upgrades, he added. Export Candidates Argentina, Ecuador and Mexico represent possible export opportunities within Brazil’s immediate sphere of influence, Saab’s Kemp said, with aircraft replacement orders anticipated within the next five years. The Gripen upgrade plan may work against Saab because Sweden hasn’t ordered the plane and that will make the model “tough to sell,” according to Teal’s Aboulafia. Saab’s pitch to Brazil comes as the company focuses its marketing on nonaligned countries that aren’t already major customers for U.S. warplanes as the company seeks to sell at least 200 more Gripens abroad, Kemp said. Norway dealt Saab a blow in November with a contract for 48 Lockheed Martin F-35s and the Netherlands selected the U.S. plane as the best candidate to replace 85 older aircraft a month later. Denmark may make the same choice this year. All three countries are partners on the F-35 program. Among countries with no participation in the F-35, India is key, Kemp said, with a requirement for at least 126 fighter aircraft and perhaps as many as 300. Saab has proposed a deal in which it would build the first 18 planes and Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. would manufacture the rest. “Our relationship with India is good,” Kemp said. “We want to transfer technology and allow the Indians to get on with it. Basically we would become a subcontractor to HAL.” To contact the reporter on this story: Sabine Pirone in London at spirone@bloomberg.net

DTN News: Pentagon Halts Israeli Fighter Jet Bid, US A Rival On Tender

DTN News: Pentagon Halts Israeli Fighter Jet Bid, US A Rival On Tender

*Source: DTN News / IsraelNN.com By Malkah Fleisher (Related link click here)

(NSI News Source Info) JERUSALEM, Israel - July 7, 2009: A scandal has arisen out of the United States military establishment after Pentagon pressure on Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to withdraw from a massive aircraft tender for the Indian Air Force leaves competing American aerospace companies in prime position to win it. On the table: a $12 billion Indian Ministry of Defense tender for 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) for the Indian Air Force. In a bid to win the tender, IAI was offered a partnership with Sweden's Saab AB to jointly develop an advanced model of the JAS-39 Gripen jet fighter. Israel was to build the electronic systems for the craft, including communications, electronic warfare and radar systems. The Pentagon contacted Israel's Ministry of Defense, ordering them to force IAI out of contention, citing concerns that Israel would integrate American technology into the fighter jets. However, two of the remaining four bidders are American companies, leaving Israeli officials speculating that the actual reason for the demand was America's interest in winning the bid without having to compete by lowering prices, according to Israeli officials quoted in Israeli media Lockheed Martin's F-16 and Boeing's F-18 Hornet are still in the running, as well as Russia's MiG-35 and the UK's BAE Eurofighter. The United States has a history of intervening to thwart Israeli military contracts, to America's benefit. Last summer, Israel's defense establishment backed down from a $500 million Turkish tank tender in order not to compete with the Americans. In 2006, the IAI lost a $2 billion South Korean Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) tender after the US imposed technological and commercial restrictions, which prevented Israel from meeting the terms of the tender. In 2003, the US opposed a $1 billion AWACS contract between Israel and India, citing India's stance against the US war in Iraq. The US offered Israel $1 billion in US military goods to back down from the agreement. However, Israeli officials speculated that the US may have opposed the deal for commercial reasons.

DTN News: US Forces Israeli Company To Back Out Of Indian Air Force Fighter Jet Bid

DTN News: US Forces Israeli Company To Back Out Of Indian Air Force Fighter Jet Bid

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) JERUSALEM, Israel - July 5, 2009: The United States has forced an Israeli company to back out of the multi-billion dollar tender to sell new multi-role fighter jets to the Indian Air Force. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has been pressurized by the Pentagon to back out of a joint partnership with a Swedish aerospace company, Saab Gripen. The six aircraft makers and types involved in the multi role combat aircraft (MRCA) competition are the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Boeing Super Hornet, along with the Lockheed Martin F-16, Saab JAS-39 Gripen and the Mig 35. The deal is estimated at a whopping 12 billion dollars for 126 new aircraft. Saab, manufacturer of the Gripen, asked the IAI to jointly develop an advanced model, which would compete for the deal. The Israeli Defense Ministry ordered IAI to back out of the deal after the Pentagon expressed concern that American technology, used by Israel, would be integrated into the Gripen offered to the Indians. "The stated concern was that western technology in Israeli hands would make its way to the Indians," The Jerusalem Post quoted an Israeli official, as saying. The American request was that Boeing and Lockheed Martin - the two largest US defense contractors - are also competing for the Indian deal. For this reason, Israeli officials said it was more likely that the Americans were concerned that if the IAI competed for the deal with Saab it would force the US companies to lower their prices. A multi-role fighter, the Gripen is in service in Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary and South Africa. The IAI was supposed to provide the electronic systems like radar, communications, etc for the plane. his is not the first time that an Israeli company has been forced out of a deal due to concerns that competing with American companies would endanger Israeli-US relations. Last summer, the Israel Military Industries (IMI) had to back down from submitting a bid for a half-a-billion dollar deal to develop and manufacture a new tank for the Turkish Armed Forces.

DTN News: Dassault ~ Romania Wants Cheap, "Second-Hand" Fighter Aircraft

DTN News: Dassault ~ Romania Wants Cheap, "Second-Hand" Fighter Aircraft *Sources: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 27, 2009: The representatives of France-based Dassault, manufacturer of the Rafale fighter aircraft, say the reason why they are not in the race for modernising the Romanian fleet with fighter aircraft is that state representatives seek cheaper, second-hand aeroplanes.

The aforementioned photo of F-16. The Romanian Air Force modernized 110 MiG 21 LanceRs, in cooperation with Israel between 1993 and 2002. Today, 48 of these MiG 21 LanceRs are operational. The Romanian Air Force also operates C-130 Hercules, An-26s transport planes and IAR-330 Puma helicopters. IAR-330 PUMA SOCAT helicopters have been modernized by the Romanian Aviation Industry in cooperation with Elbit Systems (Israel) for attack missions. The Romanian Air Force also includes native-made IAR-99 Şoim jet planes, in general only used for training of the young pilots. The remaining MiG-29s have been removed from service in 2003. Due to the old age of the MIGs, the Romanian Air Force will acquire 48 Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab JAS 39 Gripen or F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters planes within 2010-2012. Seven C-27J Spartan tactical airlift aircraft have been ordered for delivery, all of them will arrive until 2012. The current chief of the Romanian Air Force Staff , since March 2007 (after the discharge of General Gheorghe Catrina) is General locotenent Constantin Croitoru.

"Romania wants cheaper, 'second hand' aircraft. We would have wanted to sell Romania this type of aircraft, but it is not possible under the circumstances," Dassault representatives, in attendance at this year's largest international aerospace fair, Paris Air Show. The fight over the 4.5 billion-euro contract for modernising Romania's military air fleet therefore involves Eurofighter Typhoon of Italian-based Alenia Aeronautica and two lighter aircraft powered by one engine, F16, manufactured by US-based Lockheed Martin and Jas 39 Griffin, by Sweden's Saab.