Saab to Start Work on 60 JAS 39 Gripen E / NG aircraft for Sweden

The Saab Group has signed an agreement with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for development and modification of JAS 39 Gripen E aircraft between 2013 and 2026 for Sweden.

The agreement follows an earlier decision by the Swedish Parliament to acquire the Gripen E and will lead to the start of initial deliveries of the aircraft to Sweden in 2018.

The FMV has placed an initial order of 2.5 billion Swedish Krona or about $396 million for development work in 2013 and 2014 with further orders expected. The total value may amount to 47.2 billion Swedish Krona or about $7475 million.

The initial order is just the first part of the agreement with FMV. Other parts include:

• Another 10.6 billion Swedish Krona or $1678 million order for development work on Swedish Gripen E aircraft in the first quarter of 2013
• Start modifying 60 Gripen C to the E standard no later than the fourth quarter of 2013 for delivery starting in 2018
• Mission specific equipment, support and maintenance for Gripen E aircraft no later than the fourth quarter of 2014
• Provisions for the possible acquisition of 22 new-build Gripen E by Switzerland and in the event Switzerland does not acquire the Gripen E

As reported earlier, the FMV reserves the right to make cancellations if it decides to do so. In this instance, Saab has the right to be compensated.

The single-seat Gripen E and two-seat Gripen F are also known as the Gripen NG and feature the following improvements over the previous Gripen C/D:

• Installation of the more powerful GE F414G engine
• Increased payload and internal fuel capacity 
• Two extra under-fuselage hard-points 
• New landing gear 
• New AESA radar from Selex Galileo
• Passive infrared search and tracking sensor 
• New cockpit and avionics
• New electronic warfare (EW) suite

The development of the Gripen E/F is conducted in collaboration with Switzerland, who is also partially paying for its costs. Swiss pilots have test flown a Gripen F demonstrator, but a decision on the acquisition of 22 new Gripen E/F for 3.12 billion Swiss Franc or $3.39 billion has yet to be decided on.


http://www.saabgroup.com/en/About-Saab/Newsroom/Press-releases--News/2013---2/Saab-signs-agreement-for-the-next-generation-fighter-aircraft-Gripen-E-and-receives-development-order/

By Staff Sgt. Joshua Strang [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons