😀 Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round. Wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish… 😀
India warms to Gripen fighters as Czech Air Force procurement advances
MICHAEL J GETHING
India has approached Sweden’s Gripen International with a view to procuring Gripen fighters, it was revealed during ceremonies at Saab’s Linkoping facility to mark “the completion of the production phase” for the Czech Gripen programme.
According to Bob Kemp, marketing director for Gripen International (a joint venture between Saab and BAE Systems), the Indian government has made a request for information (RFI) to Sweden for 126 Gripens to replace a similar number of MiG-21 fighters. The request is with Sweden’s FMV (Defence Materiel Administration), which was asked for a response before the end of 2004.
Meanwhile, work continues on processing the Czech Republic’s contract for 14 aircraft – 12 JAS 39C single-seaters and two JAS 39D two-seaters. The 25 November ceremonies relate to the completion of the integration of Czech-specific software on the aircraft.
The Czech aircraft are the latest standard of Gripen. They are equipped with full-colour cockpit displays and a retractable air-to-air refuelling probe, and are fully NATO-interoperable.
Speaking at the ceremonies, the Czech Republic’s Deputy Minister of Defence Jaroslav Kopriva said that the arrival of the fourth-generation Gripen to replace the second-generation MiG-21 will begin a new era for the Czech Air Force, allowing it to meet the challenges of the new century. “I am convinced the JAS 39 will fulfil all our demands,” he said.
Speaking to IDR, Kopriva said that the Czech Republic still hopes to seal a government-to-government deal with the US to procure the latest AIM-120C-5 variant of the Advanced Medium Air-to-Air Missile to arm the Gripens.
The problem, he said, has been one of placing an order with Raytheon by a 2004 deadline, without having sufficient funding available in this budget year. A deal is being prepared, Kopriva added, that was to be recommended to the Czech government before the end of 2004.
The first Czech aircraft (tail number 39237) made its maiden flight on 18 October 2004. The main batch of Czech Gripen pilots were due to begin conversion training in December. Flight development trials will continue at Saab and at FMV’s test centre until the first aircraft are delivered to the Czech Republic, commencing in April 2005.
A leasing deal, covering the period 2005-15 and worth Kcs19.65 billion (US$847.6 million), was signed on 14 June 2004. The deal buys the Czechs 21,000 flight hours; operational and tactical training of the Czech pilots; access to all training devices (including the dome simulators); provision of the necessary maintenance equipment; and an integrated logistics package.
The agreement comprises three elements: a memorandum of understanding between Sweden and the Czech Republic; an aircraft production contract between the Czech government and the FMV; and an offset contract between the Czech government and Gripen International.
To enable fulfilment of the order within the contractual timeframe, the FMV has allowed aircraft for the Czech order to be diverted from production-line aircraft initially ordered for the Swedish Air Force. Even so, setting up the infrastructure for delivery has been a major challenge for Saab, its industry team and the customer.
“The Czech Air Force will be the first in NATO to fly a fourth-generation aircraft,” said Ian McNamee, managing director of Gripen International. He expected to see a formation of Czech Gripens flying over Prague on 8 May 2005 to mark the 60th anniversary of VE Day.
Although the Czech deal was the most recent export order to be signed, the aircraft will be received ahead of those for Hungary (which ordered 14 aircraft in 2001) and South Africa (which ordered 28 in 1999), with delivery of the aircraft due by August 2005.
Sweden has 204 Gripens on order, comprising 106 JAS 39As; 14 JAS 39Bs; 70 JAS 39Cs; and 14 JAS 39Ds. As of 25 November 2004, 149 aircraft had been delivered. However, the new Swedish defence bill, originally expected to be approved by the Swedish parliament on 17 September, due for approval on 17 December 2004 (after IDR went to press), is expected to see a three per cent reduction in the defence budget. This would mean a reduction in Gripen fighter numbers to about 140.
Requests from countries to purchase any surplus Swedish Gripens will be dealt with by a special committee of the Swedish finance ministry on a case-by-case basis. This would include the reported request made by Pakistan to acquire the aircraft.
Meanwhile, Gripen International has a target of selling 200 aircraft over 10 years, with the market split into three categories: new NATO members (looking at Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia); non-aligned nations (India’s RFI and Brazil’s long-delayed contest); and the F-5 replacement market (Thailand and Switzerland being seen as serious potential customers).
Other target nations include Denmark; Greece (following the rejection of the Eurofighter Typhoon selection in November 2004); Malaysia; Norway; Venezuela; and Vietnam.
Gripen International’s Kemp told IDR that governments are now looking for more than just an aircraft – flexible finance and offsets are equally important in the procurement equation.
Gripen International officials told IDR that they have detected a subtle change of emphasis in procurement policies from countries that had focused on US products. These countries now wish to have dual sourcing in their inventory. “World politics have swung in our favour,” Kemp told IDR.
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