Developments at Saab

Gripen E Flies with Meteor

Saab has successfully completed a test flight by a Gripen E aircraft with the Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) for the first time.  The flight included two Meteor missiles and the Gripen E aircraft (designated 39-8) was operated from Saab’s airfield at Linköping, Sweden. This test with Meteor is a part of the weapon integration progress in the Gripen E test programme and marks an important milestone in the agreement with the Swedish customer. The next step is to continue to fly with different configurations and gradually expand the flight envelope.

Meteor is an active radar guided BVRAAM, superior to other missiles of its type, and capable of engaging air targets autonomously, day or night, in all weathers and in harsh electronic warfare environments. The missile’s ramjet propulsion system gives Meteor its high-speed performance and the energy to defeat fast, moving targets at very long range. Gripen C/D with the Swedish Air Force in 2016 was the world’s first fighter aircraft to be operational with the Meteor missile.


Launch order for Deployable Aircraft Maintenance Facility

Saab has signed an order to provide enhanced aircraft maintenance capability to the Hungarian Air Force, using the mobile solution Deployable Aircraft Maintenance Facility. Deployable Aircraft Maintenance Facility (DAM) is a mobile hangar solution that enables ‘enhanced aircraft maintenance capacity combined with superior protection’. DAM provides capability equivalent to stationary maintenance infrastructure, but at a fraction of the cost.
The Hungarian Air Force is currently operating 14 Gripen fighter aircraft on a lease-purchase agreement with the Swedish government. DAM will provide the Hungarian Air Force with an increased level of flexibility and reduce their dependency on stationary infrastructure for maintenance and protection of their Gripen fleet. A DAM solution can be rapidly deployed (in less than 48 hours) to enable sustainment of self-sufficient operations for extended periods of time, in any location, regardless of whether they are domestic or overseas.  


Order for Carl-Gustaf M4

Saab has received a contract for the Carl-Gustaf M4 multi-role weapon system to an undisclosed customer. The total order value is approximately 492 MSEK and deliveries will take place in 2019-2024. For 70 years, the Carl-Gustaf man-portable multi-role weapon system has been supporting infantry around the world in dealing with a full range of battlefield challenges. The new version, Carl-Gustaf M4, has all the effectiveness and versatility of the Carl-Gustaf system but its improved and lightweight design, weighing less than 7 kg, offers significant mobility improvements to the soldier.
This is an all new customer for the Carl-Gustaf system and Saab’s tenth customer for the Carl-Gustaf M4 version. The new version retains all the effectiveness and versatility of the Carl-Gustaf system while introducing a range of major enhancements. These include a lighter weight design, a fired-round counter, improved safety and intelligent features, such as compatibility with future intelligent sighting systems and programmable ammunition. The weapon is fully backward compatible with all ammunition types.

Swedish Order for Giraffe 4A and Arthur Radars

Saab has received an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to develop and maintain the Armed Forces’ artillery and weapon locating capability. The order includes Saab’s Giraffe 4A multi-function radar and life extension of the artillery locating system Arthur. Deliveries of the modern ground-based multi-function system Giraffe 4A and the life extension of Arthur will create conditions for the Armed Forces’ long-range surveillance capability in the long term and give the defence new possibilities to handle existing and future threats. The work will take place at Saab in Gothenburg with deliveries from 2019.
Giraffe 4A is a multi-function radar that gives the user a range of capabilities, one system can be used for air surveillance and air defence as well as warning and artillery locating tasks. It is a digital multi-channel system featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology based on gallium nitride (GaN). Arthur and the Giraffe radar family are produced at Saab’s Gothenburg premises, a centre for microwave and sensor technology. Several of the most advanced radar and sensor systems available on the market are produced there. Saab’s radar and electronic warfare offer also includes the airborne surveillance solution GlobalEye, sensor systems for the Gripen fighter and the self-protection system family Arexis.

Order from Ireland for RBS 70 Missiles

Saab has received an order for RBS 70 BOLIDE missiles from Irish Defence Forces, the total order value is approximately 60 MSEK and deliveries will take place in 2019-2022. Ireland has been a RBS 70 customer for more than 30 years; this order contains the BOLIDE missile, which is latest missile available for the RBS 70 system. The Saab portfolio of short-range ground-based air defence missile systems includes the RBS 70 and the latest version, RBS 70 NG. The RBS 70 system has an ‘impressive’ track-record on the market with more than 1,600 launchers and over 17,000 missiles delivered to nineteen countries.

Saab and FMV Sign Contract for New Gripen E Equipment

Saab has received an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) regarding new equipment for Gripen E. This is a supplementary contract to the previous Gripen E contract, and is valued to approximately SEK 430 million. The original contract, regarding development and modification of Gripen E, signed with FMV in February 2013, was based on the terms that certain equipment from the existing Gripen C/D fleet within the Swedish Armed Forces should be reused. Instead of reusing equipment from the Gripen C/D, new equipment is acquired for a part of the total Swedish order of 60 Gripen E aircraft. This approach secures the availability of the Swedish Gripen C/D fleet in operational service, while Gripen E is being delivered and introduced to the Swedish Armed Forces.

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