A.P. Richelieu
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https://www.svd.se/beskedet-gripen-e-kan-flyga-operativt-2021 (Google Translate)
Message: Gripen E can meet FOC in 2021
The fighter aircraft Gripen E can fly in operative combat mode in the Swedish Air Force 2021. That message left the Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) at a hearing in the Parlament on Thursday. FMV is also investing 100 million extra on increasing the power of the engines.
Gripen E in a test flight over Linköping. Photo: Lars Pehrson
SvD has previously reported that the bill on Gripen between FMV and the manufacturer Saab was renegotiated last summer without being communicated either publicly or to the Riksdag. Only six months later, a brief wording appeared in the transition budget:
"The development agreement for JAS 39E has been renegotiated in 2018 in order to contribute to increased compliance and timetables that are in line with the development situation."
What this means in concrete terms and why the agreement was renegotiated is not clear.
On Thursday, the highest FMV management was called to the committee to answer the members' questions, in addition to Director General Göran Mårtensson also the chief executive officer Dan Ohlsson and Dan Averstad, head of the Gripen project at the authority.
- I have replied that there are several reasons why the renegotiation was carried out, says Göran Mårtensson to SvD after the hearing.
Who are they?
- One important reason is that we have a process with the industry that is regulated in the contract, where we make annual reviews of the development program. There are then system parts in this that there was reason to optimize. If we are to do this in the best possible way, it will also affect the design of the agreement.
What other reasons are involved?
- Another is that we harmonize with the Brazilian version of Gripen E. That version contains more modern technology and then there are parts of what has now been transferred to the Swedish version of the aircraft.
FMV's Director General Göran Mårtensson.
FMV's Director General Göran Mårtensson. Photo: Tomas Oneborg
Previously, SvD has also reported on timing and cost development in the Gripen E project. When the contract was signed in 2013, the total cost was estimated at 90 billion of the alliance government throughout the coming useful life.
At that time, 60 planes were included for the Swedish Air Force and also 22 Gripen E for Switzerland. The timing of the initial "delivery start" was then set to 2018. When the Swiss procurement was stopped in a referendum, the date was moved until 2019.
After Thursday's hearing, FMV now provides a more detailed information about when the new aircraft can be in combat mode:
- We will receive deliveries now as early as 2019. The series production will begin in 2020. Then FMV hand over aircraft to the Swedish Armed Forces 2021. The final delivery is 2026. This is the timetable, says General Director Göran Mårtensson.
When does Gripen E fly in operationally combatable condition?
- We will hand over the aircraft to the Swedish Armed Forces in 2021, when the covenants are then trained up to the Armed Forces.
But FMV's message is that there are operational, combatable plans handed over in 2021?
- Yeah.
FMV's message is now an element of the continued work in the defense preparation. A starting point in the preparation report's final report, which will be presented in May, is that the air force must maintain the plan of the current C / D version even in the coming defense decision period 2021–25. Older plan cannot begin to be phased out before there are new E-plans that can be used operationally:
"Jas C / D should be maintained in parallel with Jas 39 E being connected and fully operational".
So far, the Gripen E project has cost the state and taxpayers SEK 36.8 billion, according to Saab's own data on the total order value so far, an average of 613 million per plan.
During the renegotiation of the contract, FMV invested additional money to improve the E-version engine.
- In terms of costs, it contained an additional component. It is a possible development of Gripen E later on, where one can increase the effect in the engine, it cost 100 million SEK and it is part of the actual renegotiation, says Göran Mårtensson.
Why has it not been communicated earlier that the contract was renegotiated last summer?
- The agreement we have with Saab contains commercial secrecy and we follow that from FMV's side.
Gripen E a national security interest
The e-version of Jas Gripen is defined, as is the submarine project A26, as a nationally important safety interest.
Gripen E is larger, can be heavily armed and is technically more advanced than previous versions of the Jas Gripen system.
The contract for the new fighter aircraft was signed by Saab's CEO Håkan Buskhe and FMV's then General Director Lena Erixson in 2013.
In 2014, the former defense committee proposed an increase in the number of Gripen E from 60 to 70. In the specialization bill 2015, the S-MP government wrote that this decision could be "taken later". In that case, it may be in the next defense decision that will be the club in parliament in 2020.
Message: Gripen E can meet FOC in 2021
The fighter aircraft Gripen E can fly in operative combat mode in the Swedish Air Force 2021. That message left the Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) at a hearing in the Parlament on Thursday. FMV is also investing 100 million extra on increasing the power of the engines.
Gripen E in a test flight over Linköping. Photo: Lars Pehrson
SvD has previously reported that the bill on Gripen between FMV and the manufacturer Saab was renegotiated last summer without being communicated either publicly or to the Riksdag. Only six months later, a brief wording appeared in the transition budget:
"The development agreement for JAS 39E has been renegotiated in 2018 in order to contribute to increased compliance and timetables that are in line with the development situation."
What this means in concrete terms and why the agreement was renegotiated is not clear.
On Thursday, the highest FMV management was called to the committee to answer the members' questions, in addition to Director General Göran Mårtensson also the chief executive officer Dan Ohlsson and Dan Averstad, head of the Gripen project at the authority.
- I have replied that there are several reasons why the renegotiation was carried out, says Göran Mårtensson to SvD after the hearing.
Who are they?
- One important reason is that we have a process with the industry that is regulated in the contract, where we make annual reviews of the development program. There are then system parts in this that there was reason to optimize. If we are to do this in the best possible way, it will also affect the design of the agreement.
What other reasons are involved?
- Another is that we harmonize with the Brazilian version of Gripen E. That version contains more modern technology and then there are parts of what has now been transferred to the Swedish version of the aircraft.
FMV's Director General Göran Mårtensson.
FMV's Director General Göran Mårtensson. Photo: Tomas Oneborg
Previously, SvD has also reported on timing and cost development in the Gripen E project. When the contract was signed in 2013, the total cost was estimated at 90 billion of the alliance government throughout the coming useful life.
At that time, 60 planes were included for the Swedish Air Force and also 22 Gripen E for Switzerland. The timing of the initial "delivery start" was then set to 2018. When the Swiss procurement was stopped in a referendum, the date was moved until 2019.
After Thursday's hearing, FMV now provides a more detailed information about when the new aircraft can be in combat mode:
- We will receive deliveries now as early as 2019. The series production will begin in 2020. Then FMV hand over aircraft to the Swedish Armed Forces 2021. The final delivery is 2026. This is the timetable, says General Director Göran Mårtensson.
When does Gripen E fly in operationally combatable condition?
- We will hand over the aircraft to the Swedish Armed Forces in 2021, when the covenants are then trained up to the Armed Forces.
But FMV's message is that there are operational, combatable plans handed over in 2021?
- Yeah.
FMV's message is now an element of the continued work in the defense preparation. A starting point in the preparation report's final report, which will be presented in May, is that the air force must maintain the plan of the current C / D version even in the coming defense decision period 2021–25. Older plan cannot begin to be phased out before there are new E-plans that can be used operationally:
"Jas C / D should be maintained in parallel with Jas 39 E being connected and fully operational".
So far, the Gripen E project has cost the state and taxpayers SEK 36.8 billion, according to Saab's own data on the total order value so far, an average of 613 million per plan.
During the renegotiation of the contract, FMV invested additional money to improve the E-version engine.
- In terms of costs, it contained an additional component. It is a possible development of Gripen E later on, where one can increase the effect in the engine, it cost 100 million SEK and it is part of the actual renegotiation, says Göran Mårtensson.
Why has it not been communicated earlier that the contract was renegotiated last summer?
- The agreement we have with Saab contains commercial secrecy and we follow that from FMV's side.
Gripen E a national security interest
The e-version of Jas Gripen is defined, as is the submarine project A26, as a nationally important safety interest.
Gripen E is larger, can be heavily armed and is technically more advanced than previous versions of the Jas Gripen system.
The contract for the new fighter aircraft was signed by Saab's CEO Håkan Buskhe and FMV's then General Director Lena Erixson in 2013.
In 2014, the former defense committee proposed an increase in the number of Gripen E from 60 to 70. In the specialization bill 2015, the S-MP government wrote that this decision could be "taken later". In that case, it may be in the next defense decision that will be the club in parliament in 2020.
