LokeI am not surprised that Dassault is not very active in Finland
You’d be surprised…
What do you mean? Please elaborate.
LokeDon’t bee too sure about that.
Now when there are plans to bring EU countries closer together in defense matters this baby of several larger European countries has better chances than before.
???
Typhoon has been a failure on the export market. In particular it cannot really compete against the Rafale on technical capabilities (not today, it does not even have AESA; and not in the future, when Rafale development will get a big boost from the Indian deal), and it cannot compete against F-35 on both capabilities and price; and it cannot compete against the Gripen E on price.
It lost in Brazil, Denmark, India, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland. It will lose also in Finland.
C’est la vie.
LokeJudging by the comments of the representatives of the two prospective fighters company have questions rained tight.
– They’ve done a hell of RFI (request for information), says Mark Pranke, representing Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of fighter F-35.
Mark Parkinson at BEA Systems, which manufactures the Eurofighter Typhoon, describes the Finnish request for information that may be the most thorough company ever received. The hundreds of questions is usually classified material and those responsible for the fighter selection has a lot to digest before the actual quote request is submitted at the beginning of 2018th
Pranke says that the extensive RFI can be summed up quite easily.
– We present a number of scenarios that we (in the Finnish Air Force) face. Now you tell us how you would solve them.
The coordinator of the HX process Lauri Puranen estimated last summer that all five candidates will respond to requests for information. It seems however to be noticeable differences in the companies’ activity. Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Saab have all kept ahead in Finland.
French Dassault, which produces the Rafale fighter, and Boeing with its Super Hornet has been quieter around. According HX-page project represented neither yet of any Finnish communications company or other operators.
Google translated from: https://www.hbl.fi/artikel/beratta-hur-ni-skulle-losa-detta-scenario-jaktplanstillverkarna-stalls-infor-svara-fragor/
Interersting that the RFI is so detailed, no doubt we will see a short-list on the basis of the RFI.
I am surprised that Boeing is not very active in Finland, in particular since it seems they will be able to keep the SH production line open with recent orders from the ME? Or have they given up competing against the F-35?
I am not surprised that Dassault is not very active in Finland, they realize probably that their chances are very low. I am a bit surprised about Eurofighter but on the other hand they don’t have many other options left to pursue these days…
If Boeing is not very active then it will be between the F-35 and Gripen E, with the F-35 as the favorite; Politically it makes more sense to go for a US fighter, and if they can afford a sufficient number of a/c then of course a 5. gen stealth is preferred to a 4.5 gen. If on the other hand the F-35 is deemed too costly to buy in sufficient numbers, Gripen will become the favorite.
Typhoon? No way!
LokeAlthough Brazil is a partner in the development of the A-Darter fifth generation air-to-air missile, Denel Dynamics only recently received a contract to integrate the missile onto the Brazilian Air Force’s Gripen fighter jets.
According to the Denel annual report for the 2015/16 period, Denel Dynamics received a contract to “integrate the missile onto the Brazilian FX2 aircraft”.
The Denel annual report also noted that the follow-on contract for the production of A-Darter for the South African Air Force that was placed towards the end of the previous financial year is progressing well. The missile is being integrated onto the South African Air Force’s Gripen fighters and Hawk Mk 120 lead-in fighter-trainers. The SA Air Force ordered the missile in March 2015. Deliveries of operational missiles is expected in 2017.
LokeFunny that you mention Thailand as an example — not too long ago they chose the 4. gen fighter you did not list (the Gripen C).
Also your question is (as many times before) rather useless — there are pros and cons to all of these fighters. F-18 in particular is somewhat larger than the others, and may suit some countries well (e.g. Finland, Switzerland); whereas others would prefer e.g. the F-16 (Norway), or Gripen C (Sweden, Thailand, South Africa).
Then you need to add the political dimension as well….
LokeSwedish defence and security group Saab has announced the opening of a new office in Manila to develop its business activities in the Philippines.
Saab said in a press release on 14 November that the Manila office – its 10th country office in the Asia-Pacific – will be led by Carl-Erik Leek, who was appointed head of subsidiary Saab Philippines earlier this month.
The company added that key future business opportunities for Saab in the Philippines include the Gripen fighter aircraft, naval combat systems, maritime and air traffic management systems, and training systems and solutions.
Read more: http://www.janes.com/article/65493/saab-opens-new-philippine-office
LokeLoke(Dagbladet) 30-60 meters. It is the distance the Swedish Accident Investigation Board estimates the fighters had to each other, when the Norwegian fighter pilot suddenly saw a dark shadow in the dense cloud cover.
Just seconds away from a collision, did the Norwegian pilot sudden evasive action that probably saved them both from a catastrophic accident – 4500 meters above the ground.
The incident took place on 5 May last year under the Nordic military exercise “Arctic Fighter Meet” in Lulea, Sweden. A Swedish fighter category JAS 39C Gripen and a Norwegian F16 aircraft should practice together and then follow each other “home” to landing.
Google translated from: http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/her-er-f16-flyet-sekunder-unna-kollisjon-med-svensk-jagerfly/65206515
Hopefully such incidents will be easier to avoid when having the increased SA of 4.5 gen fighter like Rafale and Gripen E.
and even more so for 5. gen fighters like the F-35, unless the “other fighter” is also a F-35, then we will be probably back to where we are today…
LokeThe Swedish and Brazilian air forces are to use the Elbit Systems Targo helmet-mounted display (HMD) for their Saab Gripen E/F fighter aircraft, it was announced on 7 November.
The Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) awarded the airframer a SEK119 million (USD13 million) contract for an undisclosed number of systems to be delivered to the Swedish Air Force (SwAF) between 2022 and 2026. Elbit Systems’ Brazilian subsidiary AEL Sistemas (AEL) will supply the HMDs to both the SwAF and the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira: FAB).
The SwAF is scheduled to receive 60 single-seat Gripen E fighters from 2019 to 2026, with the FAB taking delivery of 28 Gripen E and 8 twin-seat Gripen F aircraft from 2019 to 2024.
Read more: http://www.janes.com/article/65331/gripen-e-f-to-feature-targo-hmd
LokeSweden’s biggest ever trade delegation to the Philippines, led by Minister of Enterprise and Innovation Mikael Damberg, arrives in Manila Monday and coincides with the reopening of the country’s embassy in the capital Manila.
Among those is defense contractor Saab Group which is opening a new office in Manila and is reportedly in pole position to secure a deal to sell its JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft to the Philippine Air Force.
http://www.atimes.com/article/sweden-eyes-great-opportunities-philippines/
LokeCzech Air Force Gripen pilots logged over 100 flight hours during the first 26 days of their Icelandic mission, reports Afbcaslav.cz.
The Czech contingent monitored airborne objects, practised low-flight manoeuvres over the sea, and carried out joint exercises with the allied naval forces.
In all, 75 men and women and five Gripen fighters were sent for this mission. For most personnel, it was their first deployment in Iceland and hence their first experience of the challenging weather.
Read more: http://www.gripenblogs.com/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=1539
LokeEDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. —
From Norway to Australia, members from a number of allied and partner nations have come to Edwards to team with base units to test systems, enhance international cooperation and advance their own air forces’ capabilities.At the 416th Flight Test Squadron, a team of U.S. Air Force engineers and pilots are working with Norwegian government and industry personnel in testing the Joint Strike Missile.
LokeWARSAW — Poland’s Ministry of Defence may acquire additional naval strike missiles (NSM)*from Kongsberg to set up a third*coastal squadron along the Polish Baltic Sea, said Polish Deputy Defence Minister Bartosz Kownacki.*
“We are considering this, but please note that our current*reconnaissance capability is insufficient. This is a significant issue. Such a squadron has a strike range of about 200 [kilometers], but our radars have a range that is considerably shorter,” Kownacki told local daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
http://www.defensenews.com/articles/poland-eyes-third-missiles-squadron-subs-for-navy
Loke– The interest is very big for the Gripen and it is constantly increasing. The two countries closest are the Slovak Republic and Botswana, but there are many more who are interested, says Joakim Wallin, head of defense export at FMV.
Google translated from: http://www.svd.se/nya-gripenaffarer-pa-gang-betydande-summor
LokeSweden’s Saab is pitching its Gripen multi-role fighter for the Indonesian F-5 replacement requirement, and is offering technology transfer and the opportunity for Indonesian industry to fully participate in the production of the aircraft.
Indonesia has allocated funding for the new fighter in the 2015-2019 five-year spending plan. There is a stated need for urgent delivery, and Saab has said it could deliver the first aircraft 12 months after contract signature.
Due to the urgent nature of the requirement, Saab is offering the latest MS20 version of the Gripen C/D rather than the longer-ranged Gripen NG that is still in development. MS20 entered Swedish air force service in May this year, and brings significant new capability to the Gripen, which is currently the only fighter operational with the MBDA Meteor long-range air-to-air missile.
MS20 also added the ability to employ the precision-guided SDB small diameter bomb. Together with Saab’s own RBS 15F smart anti-ship missile, the Gripen C/D now offers a formidable long-range deterrent against threats in the air, land and sea domains.
http://www.janes.com/article/65245/rapid-delivery-and-industrial-participation-indodef16-d3
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