The Indian Navy invites five global makers of combat planes

According to The Telegraph, The Indian Navy has invited five global makers of combat planes to participate in a competition for deck-based aircraft that it wants to buy. The planes are the SAAB Gripen (naval variant), the F-18 Superhornet (made by Boeing for the US Navy), Eurofighter Typhoon (EADS supported by a European consortium), the Rafale (made by France’s Dassault Aviation) and finally quite surprisingly the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter.

The Indian Navy had originally not sent an RFI to Sweden’s SAAB but the company expressed interest and was sent a request for the naval variant of the Gripen JAS 39.

Read the whole article here.

What a swede ride!

Spotted by energo at Military Photos Forum

Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times has an article about flying the Gripen Simulator at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2009 (Lima ‘09).

“Weapons integration is not an issue. We’ve cleared the Gripen for quite a number of weapons already. Currently, work to integrate the MBDA Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile on the Gripen is almost complete. If you have that in your weapons package; man, that’s like the death ray,” says Lewis-Olsson.

I step on to the next target and lock him up, just in time to see the first MiG being turned into a pile of very expensive aircraft parts hurtling toward the ground.

The second MiG is coming down my right side. The shoot cue comes on and I squeeze off another missile and it corkscrews crazily toward the target. As the MiG passes my two o’clock position, he breaks hard into me, punching off chaff and flares. The combination of hard manoeuvring and decoys defeats my missile.

It’s a knife fight now. I bang on the throttle and manoeuvre to get on his six. Switching to guns, I close in and wait for the shoot cue to come on. When it does, I squeeze the trigger and let off a two-second burst. Underneath me, the Mauser BK27 cannon spews out white-hot chunks of 27mm rounds that tear into the Fulcrum’s left wing root, shearing it clean off. The MiG-29 spirals uncontrollably to the ground. No chutes.

The whole article is available here.

Saab offers naval Gripen to India

Spotted by Signatory at Military Photos Forum

Saab AB, the Swedish defense major, has received a Request For Information (RFI) from the Indian Navy for the supply of carrier-borne fighter aircraft. The company, which received the RFI earlier this month, is pitching a little-known naval variant of its Gripen NG fighter, called the Sea Gripen. Saab is already bidding for the 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender of the Indian Air Force (IAF), for which it has offered an advanced version of the Gripen NG, called the Gripen IN.

Saab has been studying the idea of designing a carrier-borne variant since the mid-’90s but the company only decided to launch the Sea Gripen program in the wake of its existing campaigns for the air forces of India and Brazil and the moves by the two countries to build a serious carrier capability, even though at that time there was no formal request from either country. Saab is planning to pitch the aircraft to countries with smaller-sized carriers and says they expect more nations to show interest in the Sea Gripen, because existing naval fighters are either of an older generation or large-sized, forcing them to buy or build large ships as well...

Full article at Stratopost

Brazilian Decision on Jet Fighters Unlikely Before 2011

Spotted by Swingrole at Military Photos Forum

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil has postponed a decision on buying 36 jet fighters from any of the three rival bidders until early spring 2010 at the very earliest in a move analysts interpret as part of a strategy to extract maximum advantage over Brazil's long-term plan for extensive technology transfer.

Despite the fact that Lula publicly said the Rafale made by France's Dassault Aviation would win the contract, the Brazilian air force has not finished evaluating the three planes, which include Boeing's F18 Super Hornet and Saab's Gripen, the latter apparently being favored by the air force.

But there will be a presidential election in Brazil in October and as defense specialist Jean Guisnel writes it the French weekly “Le Point” there is expected to be a six-month respite from major political decisions, particularly a contract of this importance before the election. He cites a source familiar with the negotiations as saying that “frankly, it is highly unlikely that a decision is taken before April which means that we are unlikely to see a decision before the end of the post-electoral grace period, towards April 2011.”

Sources say the contract negotiations are “extremely tough” and that knowing their president has opted for the Rafale, the Brazilians are pushing for conditions, notably over the price, that Dassault “is absolutely not prepared to accept.”

(Source)

Saab touts Sea Gripen for India and Brazil

According to Jane's Defence Weekly:

Saab is responding to an Indian Navy (IN) request for information (RfI) regarding future carrier-capable fighters with a new development of the Gripen NG

The full article is only available for subscribers. However, the blog Defense Studies has published at least some parts of it.

Saab receives order for spare parts for Gripen

Spotted by Signatory at Military Photos Forum

Defence and security company Saab has received an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) regarding spare parts for the current Gripen fleet. The order amounts to SEK 200 million.

The order concerns spare parts including so-called "line replacement units", easily interchangeable modules that make it possible to correct faults in a workshop instead of in the aircraft on the ground. The units are part of an agreement to supply spare material for Gripen and includes Thailand, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

The order concerns Saab’s units in Linköping, Kista, Jönköping and Mölndal, but it does not mean any new employment.

(Source)

Herley UK Subsidiary, EWsT, Receives a $1.5 Million Contract Award from Saab in Sweden

Spotted by Signatory at Military Photos Forum

LANCASTER, Pa., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Herley Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRLY) announced a recent award to EW Simulation Technology ("EWsT"), the Company's subsidiary in Farnborough UK.

Richard F. Poirier, Herley's Chief Executive Officer and President, commented, "EWsT has recently received an order for approximately US$1.5M for a RSS8000 radar threat simulator from the defense and security company Saab in Sweden. The RSS8000 will be used to support the ground test and simulation facilities for the Gripen JAS39 fighter aircraft. This continues the trend at EWsT to provide the latest technology into the Simulator market."

EW Simulation Technology Limited (EWsT) is a UK Company (owned by Herley Industries Inc.), specializing in the design and manufacture of Multi-Spectral Threat and Countermeasures Stimulators for EW test, evaluation and training.

Herley Industries, Inc. is a leader in the design, development and manufacture of microwave technology solutions for the defense, aerospace and medical industries worldwide. Based in Lancaster, PA, Herley has seven manufacturing locations and approximately 1000 employees. Additional information about the company can be found on the Internet at www.herley.com

Indian evaluation of Gripen

F 17 were visited on Wednesday by a technical evaluation team from the Indian Air Force along with representatives from the Defense industry. During the intensive, information-packed days briefings were held on Gripen's operational capabilities, various support and logistical functions, technical features were studied.

Foto: Pernilla Bökman / Försvarsmakten

We are here to evaluate and confirm the Gripen system based on the technical performance as presented to us earlier

Says one of the Indian representatives. He also claims that the price is not crucial at this stage but rather the function and lifetime of the aircraft system.

After a busy day at the F17 wing the visitors went to the F7 wing at Såtenäs for continued demonstration of the Gripen system.

(Source in swedish)
(Google translation)

A Hora da VERDADE!

The Swedish technical magazine NyTeknik (only in Swedish) is today referring to an article in the flight magazine Revista Forca Aerea about the Brazilian F-X2 competition. An English translation of the article can be found here.

It seems like the overall analysis in the article is that the SAAB Gripen NG BR is the most favourable choice for Brazil.

Jairo Cândido, head of the Federation’s Defense Industry Department, stated to the press that: “It has become clear that who is willing to make a broad, total and unrestricted technology transfer, and to work with Brazilian companies are the Swedes,” and about the Gripen NG-BR: “...it enables the national production of the 36 aircraft and involves the national industry in the program from the very beginning.”

Saab's view on technology transfer, 8ak interviews Pär Rohman

With the amendments to DPP 2008 made this November the priority of the nation has moved away from research to transfer of technology. This is one area where European companies can stand a chance to win against U.S. companies who are disadvantaged by their country’s stringent export control and monitoring restrictions.

Pär Rohman, Vice President, Industrial Cooperation, Saab was in India for the CII/CAPS Seminar on Energising Indian Aerospace on Nov 19 and made a presentation (download) on transfer of technology. Manu Sood, Editor, 8ak had the opportunity to interview him.

8ak: India has had a lot of problems with ToT in the past. How can Saab help address these issues?
Rohman: The main problems India had are a foreign country’s government intervening to deny access to technologies, the vendor’s reluctance to part with technology fearing cannibalisation and the inability to absorb technology. Saab has a different approach based on long-term partnership and mutual growth. Saab has a proven model that enables the receiver to utilize and apply the technologies transferred. This means that it involves much more than just “technical information”.

With the Swedish Prime Minister and defence delegation’s visit there has been an inter-government commitment to partner with Indian defence and neither country is bound by a third country’s dictats. In terms of ToT, Saab’s approach is unique. We don’t just give away the technology, we partner with you to build on and further develop in collaboration right from the start. This will give the Indian firm the ability to maintain and modify the system.

8ak: What is in it for Saab?
Rohman: Your recent article mentioned the Swedish minister suggesting that Sweden is looking at India not as a buyer but as a long term partner and the same is true for Saab. We believe the relationship will be for mutual benefit. So while we transfer technology, we gain new knowledge in the process and at the same time benefit from India’s engineering & software expertise and low operating costs. This will help Saab further develop the products and jointly market it globally for export.

8ak: Have you successfully implemented such programs in other countries?
Rohman: Yes. For the Gripen alone, we have successful offset programs in e.g Hungary and South Africa.

8ak: Do you have a preference for public or private sector in terms of ToT?
Rohman: We have relations with the major Indian DPSUs, so will do as directed by the terms of the RFP.

At the seminar, a question raised was lessons India should learn from the Embraer’s success. My view is that it proves privatisation works but requires long-term, government support. If you look around globally, all major successful companies have transformed themselves in to systems integrators. There are significant lessons for India.

8ak: What are the problems that Saab faces in India in terms of ToT?
Rohman: The biggest problem is FIPB’s 26% cap on FDI which is discriminatory and adds to the country risk. As benchmark, 2 countries with successful defence programs Brazil and Dubai both have a much higher 49% cap. At 26% the best foreign companies will either not bid or be in a position where they are forced to part with technologies. Neither of these have worked for India in the past.

(Source)

Gripen exceeds 130 000 flight hours

The Gripen fleet has now flown more than 130 000 hours. Gripen is in operational service in the Czech, Hungarian, South African and Swedish Air Forces and is also flown by the Empire Test Pilot School (ETPS).

he Swedish Air Force is the largest operator of Gripen and their first Gripen Squadron was declared operational in 1997. The Czech Air Force took deliveries of their Gripen C/D in 2005, followed by the Hungarian Air Force in 2006. Deliveries to the South African Air Force began in 2008 and are ongoing.

Included in the total number of flight hours is also the test flights made by the Saab Flight Test Department in Linköping, Sweden. Gripen C/D is being developed continuously with new equipment and software and the Gripen NG Demonstrator is also being test flown.

First Gripen C to pass 1 000 hours
The Swedish Air Force took Gripen C/D in service in 2005. Gripen number 39210 became the first Gripen C to pass 1000 flight hours, which happened earlier this month. The aircraft is being operated by the F 17 Wing in Ronneby and is maintained by the 171st Aircraft Maintenance Company.

(Source)

Shiv Aroor flies the Gripen

(Source)