Danish decision on fighters may be postponed

Swedish newspaper NyTeknik is reporting today that Denmark may postpone their purchase of new fighters and that this might be positive for the Gripen. It seems to be mostly speculations but it would be interresting if it turns out to be true. A postponment of the fighter purchase, that would be the most expensive defence procurement in the Danish history, would probably require the remaining F-16 aircrafts to be upgraded to support a longer lifetime and that could turn out to be expensive.

A decision to postpone the renewal of the Danish fleet of combat aircraft can provide both the Swedish Saab new hope and also breathing space to implement the other stores in the world....

...the Danes have the opportunity to wait and see whether other countries invest in the purchase of new Gripen to come.

(Source in Swedish)
(Google translation)

The Thais gear up for Gripen

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The first group of Thai Air Force technicians have arrived in Sweden for their initial maintenance type conversion course on the Gripen fighter.

Photo: Per Kustvik

Training is underway at the Swedish Armed Forces Technical school in Halmstad and will continue until the end of the year. The technical training also includes a On the Job Training (OJT) part at the Swedish Air Force Wings F 7 in Såtenäs and F 17 in Ronneby. As part of their training, technicians spent time at Saab’s Gripen manufacturing hub in Linköping. The technicians’ training programme forms part of Thailand’s 2008 procurement contract for six Gripen fighter jets.

In a parallel initiative, Air Chief Marshal Itthaporn Subhawong, Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), met with Lt. Gen. Carlo Gagiano, Chief of the South African Air Force to discuss areas of mutual interest, including Gripen and its introduction into the SAAF. The chiefs met at Air Force Base Makhado, home to South Africa’s Gripen fleet.

The visit also emphasized both countries’ commitment to co-operate and promote bilateral relations.

The RTAF also signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to supply it with a Saab 340 AEW Erieye airborne surveillance system and another Saab 340 aircraft for training and transport. They will be delivered in December 2010.

(Source)

Demonstration of Gripen in Linköping

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Swedish Minister of Defence Sten Tolgfors visited SAAB in Linköping the 25th of January. He was briefed about SAAB's efforts to export Gripen, the ongoing progress on the Gripen NG as well as several UAVs SAAB is working on at the moment, including the Neuron project. He writes about the visit on his blog:

The impression I got was that extensive flights are progressing with great success and that there are many indications that the Gripen NG might even be better than expected.

(Source in Swedish)
(Google translation)

Thai cabinet approve Air Force to buy additional Gripen fighters

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Thai newspaper The Nation reports that the cabinet has approved the air force request to buy Gripen fighters for a second squadron, bringing the total number of Gripen C/D in the Thai air force to 12.

The planned spendings will cover the aircraft procurement, pilot training, repair and maintenance system and ground service preparations for deployment.

(Source)

Swedish underdog fights for IAF contract

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Hindustan Times has an article about the IAF testing the Gripen IN for the MMRCA competition.

The IAF carried out trials on the demo aircraft at the Vidsel missile test range in Sweden last December. It will undergo trials in Bangalore, Jaisalmer and Leh in March to test performance in diverse climates.

Full article at Hindustan Times

RTAF seeks approval to buy six more Gripen

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According to Bangkok Post the Thai air force is seeking approval to buy six Gripen jet fighters in addition to the six already ordered, and hopes the submission will be approved by the cabinet today.

The air force had hoped to decommission its 12 US-made F-5 E/F fighters, in operation at the Surat Thani-based Wing 7 for 30 years, once it took commission of 12 new Gripen 39 C/D fighter jets.

(Source)

Swiss forces are effectively ‘broke’

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According to AirForces Monthly the Swiss armed forces are having financial troubles. Their plans to replace the fleet of F-5E Tiger II, where Gripen is one of three candidates, might have to be postponed until 2015.

...at which point it may become a decision on a suitable type to replace both the F-5 and F-18 fleets, rather than just the Tiger from 2020

(Source)

RTAF technicians in Sweden

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Right now the first RTAF engineers are acquainting themselves with the JAS 39 Gripen - and the Swedish winter chill.

photo: Hallandsposten

(Source in Swedish)
(Google translation)

Switzerland fighter replacement appears set for indefinite delay

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IHS Jane’s reports today that the Swiss defence minister has called for the fighter procurement programme to be delayed indefinitely. The Swiss procurement of fighter aircrafts involve three candidates: Rafale, Eurofighter and Gripen.

This is at odds with a government announcement also made in October that reaffirmed Switzerland's commitment to purchasing a partial replacement for the air force's 54 Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II multirole fighter fleet. Additionally, Swiss media reports on 5 January suggested that the cabinet was committed to the original timescale.

(Source)

The final decision will be political

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Ce n'est pas une décision exclusivement militaire

In hindsight of the news from Brazilian newspaper Folha that the Brazilian air force prefers the Gripen, French newspaper Libération has published a statement by the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim. He says that the final decision is always political, implying that the French Rafale is still a very much possible choice for the Brazilian government even though it is not preferred by the air force or the Brazilian industry and is evidently much more expensive both to buy and to use.

(Source in French)
(Google translation)

SELEX Galileo signs an MoU with ATMOS Sistemas for the development of AESA radar technology in Brazi

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According to Digital-Battlespace.com a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Selex Galileo of Finmeccanica and ATMOS Sistemas (ATMOS) of Brazil.

Initial focus will be on the Raven ES-05 AESA fire control radar for the Saab Gripen NG, which is competing strongly in the Brazilian Air Force new fighter programme, and on aircraft future configurations.

The whole article can be found here.

The Brazilian air force prefers the Gripen

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It's not official information, but according to Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, FAB prefers Gripen over the two other FX-2 contestants. According to the newspapers Gripen came in on first place, Super Hornet second and French Rafale is the least preferred of the three.

This would mean that Gripen is preferred by the industry AND the air force as well as being the cheapest alternative to buy. President Lula da Silva would need really strong political reasons to chose the Rafale now.

(Source in Portuguese)
(Google translation)