Saab has received an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) on behalf of the Swedish Armed Forces to provide support and maintenance services for Gripen during the first half of 2020.
The order’s total value amounts to approximately SEK 450 million, which is around £36 million.
The order applies to services for the first six months of 2020 and is an extension of a previously signed contract with FMV regarding performance-based support and maintenance of Gripen.
“The contract was signed in late May 2017. The order includes support and maintenance services essential to aviation operations with Gripen. The order covers, for example, design and support, component maintenance, the provision of logistics, technical system support, publications, spare parts, repairs, ground support equipment and pilot equipment.”
“This order is vital to ensuring the effective operation and availability of Gripen,” said Ellen Molin, Head of the Support and Services business area within Saab in a news release.
Very nice underrated aircraft… Lethal when paired with long range missiles. Ought to appeal to F16 customers as well.
Cheers
Agreed Helions, vastly underrated for the price.
Yeah I agree with you Helions, great aircraft that’s affordable to own and operate. However, sadly I think it will struggle with sales as the price of the F35A keeps falling. Hard to see NATO countries and key US allies opting for anything else, and any country blocked from F35 purchases by the US will most likely be blocked from Gripen as well, due to the amount of US/UK tech inside.
The Gripen could still capture smaller developing countries that just need a small number of cheap to run planes for the prestige of saying they have an air force and can protect their airspace. But those sales won’t be very large, unfortunately.
The offers of 100% industrial offset is a good idea as well, and the Brazil deal was really good for the programme, but I’m not sure they will be able to get another big deal. Maybe India? But unless there is a massive culture shift, I can’t see a decision made on that anytime soon…
I would love to see the Gripen Maritime developed, but somehow I think that will fade away.
For such a small country with limited funding Saab produces world class weapon systems. Even the US chooses some of their stuff like radars, infantry weapons, ect. Not too mention they helped design the USAF next gen jet trainer.