Saab offers India Gripen-E fighters with complete ecosystem
news
16 June 2016
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Swedish defence firm Saab has offered to create an entire aerospace system in India, including the design, development, manufacture and maintenance its latest Gripen-E fighter under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India programme.
Earlier this month, Swedish government had formally submitted a proposal to the defence ministry to make the Gripen fighters in India.
''Saab is not only looking at setting up a base here, but also helping in the development of aerospace capability for many years to come,'' said Jan Widerström, chairman, Saab India Technologies Pvt Ltd.
''We will not work by simply providing kits, but by providing knowledge so that we can build capability both from the bottom of the supply chain and from the top of the supply chain. We will not simply move an assembly line; we will build development capability,'' said Mats Palmberg, vice president, Industrial Partnerships, Saab Aeronautics.
Saab's plans include creating an Indian company in partnership with either an Indian private defence manufacturer or a defence public sector unit. It will also create a training academy for engineers, technicians and workers to develop skills and knowledge critical to creating aerospace eco-system.
''We would train engineers in Sweden, as we're currently doing with Brazilian engineers for the Brazilian Gripen programme. We will train people in India and in Sweden to be able to design, develop, manufacture and maintain in India,'' said Palmberg.
Saab officials refused to comment on the ongoing discussions between the Indian and Swedish governments. However, they said that they would be willing to look at ways to meet any urgent requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF) before the first Gripen-E is delivered to Brazil in 2019.
Gripen-E is latest ''smart fighter'' from Saab, which was rolled out at its Linkoping facility on 18 May. Brazil has already signed a deal with Saab for co-production of Gripen-E.
The IAF is authorised to have 42 fighter squadrons but currently has only 33. A number of Soviet-era MiGs are to be decommissioned in the next couple of years.
The defence ministry refused to officially comment on Saab's offer, saying that many factors will have to considered before a choice is made.
http://www.domain-b.com/aero/mil_avi/mil_aircraft/20160616_ecosystem.html
Swedish defence giant keen to partner with India for next version of Tejas
PTI
Published Jun 16, 2016, 2:07 pm IST
Updated Jun 16, 2016, 2:07 pm IST
Incidentally, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha visited the Saab facility in Sweden last week and even flew the Gripen.
Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: Swedish defence major Saab is keen to partner with India for the next version of LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas even as it has offered its own newly-launched Gripen E fighter aircraft under 'Make in India' initiative, but with over 49 per cent stake in a joint venture with a private firm.
Based on a Request for Information released by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the makers of Tejas, Saab is in talks with them to finalise the latest avionics and radar system for the Tejas 1A, the version of the indigenous plane that the IAF is interested in.
"Yes, we are in talks with HAL. We have the latest avionics, best active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and technology in the Gripen which we would be happy to share with HAL for the Tejas programme," Jan Widerstrom, Chairman Saab India, said.
He argued that it will be a win-win situation if the Indian Air Force (IAF) decides to get Gripen also.
"From a user perspective, maintenance, knowledge build up and Make in India, this will have lot of advantages," he said. Asked if the offer to help the Tejas programme was conditional to IAF selecting Gripen, he said both are independent programmes.
He also made it clear that Saab is looking at more than the automatic limit of 49 per cent FDI in defence in the joint venture that will make Gripen in India.
Under the rules, a company can seek even 100 per cent FDI if it brings in high-technology under the 'Make in India' initiative.
Even though India has scrapped the earlier multi-billion contract for 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) programme and decided to go in for only 36 Rafales, the government will select at least one more aircraft besides Tejas to be built in India.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said that India will decide between American F-18, French Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Gripen by the end of this fiscal.
Incidentally, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha visited the Saab facility in Sweden last week and even flew the Gripen.
"Our concept of technology transfer is real as we are willing to give India comprehensive systems and software control. In short, Saab is not only looking at setting up a base here but also helping in the development of aerospace capability for many more years to come," Widerstrom said. He added that Saab will not simply move an assembly line but will build development capability.
"We will design, develop, produce and maintain in India," he said.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nati...ner-with-india-for-next-version-of-tejas.html
@waz @Oscar
could you please merge the following SAAB Gripen threads and make it a sticky as SAAB is now expected to join IAF.
https://defence.pk/threads/gripen-mii-production-deal-signed.434392/
https://defence.pk/threads/air-chief-marshal-raha-to-visit-sweden-lca-mk2-aka-gripen-in.433861/
https://defence.pk/threads/saab-pitches-for-joint-development-of-sea-gripen-fighter-jets.415201/
https://defence.pk/threads/hal-saab-likely-to-upgrade-tejas.428969/
https://defence.pk/threads/saab-adds-gan-aesa-co-dev-to-make-in-india-gripen-pitch.434318/
https://defence.pk/threads/india-to...ake-in-india-initiative-by-march-2017.431443/
https://defence.pk/threads/saab-off...rcraft-under-make-in-india-initiative.431331/
https://defence.pk/threads/sweden-t...n-ng-fighter-aircraft-deal-with-india.430154/
https://defence.pk/threads/saab-pit...india-for-the-iaf-under-make-in-india.427075/
https://defence.pk/threads/hal-in-talks-with-swedish-firm-for-upgraded-tejas.426809/
https://defence.pk/threads/can-gripen-e-and-lca-tejas-co-exist-in-indian-air-force.435137/
https://defence.pk/threads/saab-keen-to-partner-with-india-for-next-version-of-tejas.435013/