Saab, the Swedish aerospace and defense company, signed a contract of $30 million (308 million Swedish krona) with the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) to provide maintenance and support for the Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft fleet.
The deal covered the development and testing of rear maintenance of the country’s Gripen C/D fleet, as well as additional studies to combine maintenance support for both the Gripen C/D and E variants. Saab will also provide avionics computers as part of the agreement.
This contract builds on a previous agreement signed in 2022, which included the upgrade of the fleet’s radars and avionics systems to provide extended detection and tracking range. Saab is currently working on the project in Linköping and Arboga. According to Saab Aeronautics Jonas Hjelm, the upgrades will give the Swedish Air Force a stronger fighter capability.
The Swedish government’s investment in these upgrades demonstrates the country’s commitment to maintaining a strong and capable air force.
Two additional contracts
In addition to the $30 million contract, the Swedish government awarded Saab two additional contracts worth $21 million this year. These orders include the integration of the laser-guided Pod 15 to the Gripen C/D aircraft and the supply of systems and maintenance components.
JAS 39 Gripen
The JAS 39 Gripen is a multi-role fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by Saab. It is used by the Swedish Air Force, the Czech Air Force, and the Hungarian Air Force, among others. The aircraft has been praised for its performance, efficiency, and reliability, and has been used in a number of missions, including NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission.
Saab signs contract with Brazilian Embraer
Swedish aerospace firm Saab has announced a new agreement with Brazilian aircraft builder Embraer to deepen their collaboration on Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet and to pitch the Embraer C-390 Millennium airlifter to the Swedish Air Force. The partnership could strengthen Embraer’s bid to get Sweden to buy the Millennium, while also highlighting Embraer’s maneuvers to capture a more significant share of the military aircraft market. This news follows Embraer’s recently announced partnership with L3Harris to pitch the tanker version of the C-390 to the US Air Force for a next-gen air refueler.