Saab offers to make 96 Gripen jets in India

Competing for the supply of 114 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal to the Indian Air Force (IAF), Swedish aerospace firm, Saab AB, on Tuesday offered its Gripen fighter jets with full Transfer of Technology and production at a South Indian city.

Saab faces stiff competition from American aerospace biggies, Boeing and Lockheed Martin Corp, besides Dassault Aviation of France, for the deal worth over $15 billion.

The Swedish firm has proposed to locally manufacture 96 of the 114 jets, a top official of Saab India told reporters here. Bengaluru and Hyderabad could be the production centres, indicated Saab India’s Chairman and Managing Director, Ola Rignell.

At Aero India 2019, Saab could not bring its Gripen aircraft due to the confusion that prevailed over the airshow venue. The Swedish firm will, however, showcase the Gripen E version’s full-scale model and its mission simulator. The aerospace has built an intelligent fighter system for the aircraft. Saab has already inked a deal to supply the jets to the Brazilian Air Force.