Thailand's Fighter Jet Decision: Boeing F-16, SAAB Gripen, or Korean FA-50?

 Thailand is considering acquiring a new fourth-generation fighter aircraft, with options including the Boeing F-16 and SAAB Gripen. Now, the South Korean contractor Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has thrown its hat into the ring, proposing its FA-50 light fighter aircraft to the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF).

KAI's proposal comes in response to an informal request for proposals (RFP) from the RTAF, aiming to replace aging Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs. While the FA-50 offers advanced capabilities at a lower cost and with timely delivery, the RTAF had initially shown interest in fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II aircraft.

The FA-50, an export success for KAI, boasts features such as Tactical Data Link and Precision Guided Munitions. It has been actively deployed by the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) since 2013 and has garnered significant orders from countries like Poland and Malaysia.

Despite initial interest in the F-35, the RTAF aims to bolster its air power with potent fighter jets. The competition now includes the F-16 Block 70/72 Viper and SAAB Gripen-E, both offering advanced capabilities in their generation.

With the entry of the FA-50 into the contest, the RTAF faces a three-way decision, potentially reshaping its evaluation process and strategic considerations.

Saab Gripen Engages in Rare Dogfights with F-35 in Preparation for Potential Confrontation with Russian Fighters

 In an unusual encounter, Saab Gripen fighter jets engaged in simulated aerial combat, or "dogfights," with F-35 stealth jets to prepare for potential confrontations with Russian Su-35 and Su-30 fighters. This joint exercise between Swedish JAS-39 Gripen and Danish F-35 aircraft showcased the advanced capabilities of Western fighter aircraft in countering Russian Aerospace Forces.

The Gripen-E, known as a force multiplier for NATO's air fleet, presents a significant threat to Russian fighters, despite its lack of stealth. Equipped with advanced technology such as Gallium Nitride (GaN) Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and infrared search and track (IRST) systems, the Gripen-E can effectively engage Russian aircraft while remaining agile and versatile.

The collaboration between Gripen and F-35 aircraft signifies mutual cooperation between neighboring countries, aimed at enhancing joint fighting capabilities. By combining the F-35's data processing capabilities with the Gripen's mass-production advantage, a potent "radar and missile truck teaming" tactic is proposed, allowing Gripen to release missiles at targets identified by the F-35 while leveraging its stealth capabilities.

Russia's weaknesses in Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) further exacerbate the advantage of Western aircraft. With plans underway to revitalize defense industries in Europe and the US, including the development of advanced missiles like the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), Western forces are gearing up to counter the threat posed by Russian fighters effectively.

Through strategic collaborations and technological advancements, Western air forces are preparing to confront Russian fighters with confidence and efficiency.

Sweden to consider Gripen Upgrade-------------Defense News

HELSINKI — Sweden’s government is expected to examine in the spring an Armed Forces Command (AFC) proposal covering a possible $5 billion upgrade for the Air Force’s 100 JAS Gripen multirole fighters.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has sought a cost appraisal from Saab, although the company says that it has not yet submitted a formal costing to the government.

The Gripen upgrade proposal was contained in the AFC’s proposition to the government in March 2011. This outlined how Sweden’s Air Force and air defenses could best be developed after 2020. The AFC’s submission noted that a decision on the Gripens was needed in order to plan for either upgrading or replacing the aging aircraft, adding that funding for a new project should begin to be incorporated into the annual defense budget no later than 2015.

The AFC is proposing to upgrade and develop an E/F version of the Gripen to ensure the fighter maintains its technological development capability and continues to operate up to 2040, and possibly beyond.

Avionics, sensors and radar will form a key part of any upgrade, as will improving the aircraft’s weapons-carrying capability and fuel tank capacity. Some 20 possible new configurations for a Gripen E/F version are being examined by Saab, the AFC and FMV, Sweden’s defense materials central procurement agency.

The upgrade proposal is regarded as a more cost-efficient option than funding a new fighter replacement program. The AFC advocates that the Air Force’s stock of C/D version Gripens be upgraded on a phased basis to spread the total cost over a five- to 10-year budgetary period.

The AFC views the impending government decision, which it anticipates will be made in March, as the most critical funding issue facing Swedish defense. A significant factor will be the AFC’s improved working relationship with government. This was underlined in 2011 when the MoD approved $900 million in new funding to strengthen the attack and tactical helicopter capability of the Air Force and Army by acquiring 15 Sikorsky Black Hawks.

India Hopes To Unveil Fighter Deal in 2 Weeks

NEW DELHI — India hopes to unveil within two weeks the winner of a $12-billion fighter jet deal for which France’s Dassault and the Eurofighter consortium are on a final short list, the air force said Jan. 17.

“Right now we have to do the selection for who is going to be the short-listed vendor,” Indian Air Force chief N.A.K. Browne said in New Delhi. “I am hopeful that in another two weeks time, we will be able to short list the name,” Browne told reporters on the sidelines of a military function, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

The contract is one of the biggest under consideration in the global defense aviation industry at the moment.

The air force chief said final commercial negotiations would only start after India announced the lowest bidder.

Officials say “life-cycle” maintenance costs of each plane will determine the winner of the deal. The contract is for the outright purchase of 18 combat aircraft with another 108 to be built in India with options to acquire more.

India last April cut out U.S. bidders Boeing and Lockheed Martin as well as dropping Sweden’s Saab AB and the Russian makers of the MiG 35 from the race.

Such a large order attracted intense lobbying during visits to India last year by U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

India, the biggest importer of military hardware among emerging nations, issued the request for proposals in 2007 and trials of aircraft from the six companies competing for the deal began a year later.

Fighter Jet Projects Surge, But Not Where You'd Expect

The number of countries attempting to develop a new fighter aircraft has surged recently, part of a cycle that has ebbed and flowed since the dawn of the jet age.

South Korea and Turkey are the latest nations to start clean-sheet programs, while Japan is working on its ATD-X concept demonstrator, India is working on an improved version of its Light Combat Aircraft and Indonesia has signed on to the Korean effort.

Most are drawn by the prospects of developing a homegrown industrial base, boosting employment and filling military needs, analysts said.

"If you want to do all three badly, then you build a national fighter," said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at the Teal Group, Fairfax, Va. "It comes in waves, and a lot of it driven by national aspirations and a lot of it is driven by perception of threat, and a lot of it is driven by the ruling party in the given country."

In the 1980s, domestic politics fostered a spate of indigenous fighter projects, which were generally killed off in the next decade or two by economic realities, Aboulafia said. With free-market capitalism's cachet diminished in many parts of the world, such national programs have made a comeback.

"Even autarchy has come back into vogue," Aboulafia said. "I think this might be a reflected dislike of market reality that has come with the economic meltdown of the past three years."

There is also a perception that an indigenous effort will be cheaper than an imported design, said Byron Callan, an analyst at Capital Alpha Partners in Washington. Many countries cannot afford new fighters such as the F-35, Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale or even the new Russian PAK-FA, Callan said.

Even the Swedish Gripen, which recently won a Swiss order largely because it was cheaper than the Rafale and Typhoon, is very expensive, he said.

Something has to fill the market void, Callan said.

But Aboulafia said these nations are grossly underestimating the cost of developing a new fighter. For example, Seoul estimates that its KF-X stealth fighter effort will cost about $8 billion - "which is enough to maybe design a decent set of wings," he said.

Dan Gouré, an analyst at the Lexington Institute, Arlington, Va., concurred.

"It's horribly expensive," he said.

The track record for national fighter programs is not a good one. Japan, which has a highly developed economy and advanced technology, tried and failed to develop good cost-effective fighter, even with U.S. help, Aboulafia said.

Japan's experience with the F-2, which was based on the F-16, was a disaster that largely soured the country on developing an indigenous fighter. Aboulafia noted Tokyo's ongoing ATD-X stealth fighter development effort but said it would likely produce only a concept demonstrator, not a full production effort.

"There is nothing about history that would make you want to do this," Aboulafia said. "And looking at history, they have a lot to answer for."

Nor do most countries attempting to build an indigenous fighter have the technical wherewithal to build such an aircraft. Neither Turkey nor South Korea has the technical ability to build such fighters without external help.

"They're going to find there is an enormous gap between the licensed production of F-16s and designing, integrating and producing an entirely new product," Aboulafia said.

Even South Korea's recent experience in co-developing the T-50 jet trainer does little to alleviate the problem, he said.

Gouré was blunt about their chances for success: "There is no way in hell."

Only a handful of nations can design and build fighters without external help, he said. France, Britain, the U.S. and Russia are the only countries ever to successfully develop their own fighters, he said.

"Even the Chinese stuff, it's really all derivative of Russian hardware," he said.

Only about 60 percent of the Saab Gripen is built in Sweden, with the rest, including the engines, mostly U.S. in origin, Gouré said.

Because indigenous programs almost invariably offer an inferior product, there is tension between those who would develop such aircraft and those who will be expected to fly them in combat.

"Are you simply expecting to do as good a job as a traditional producer, or are you simply expecting your air force to take casualties?" Aboulafia said. "The best-case scenario is the reinvention of a fourth-generation jet with higher cost, which is exactly what happened with Japan's F-2."

India's Light Combat Aircraft is a good example. Leery of adopting the homegrown fighter because of its less-than-impressive performance, the Air Force has shown a clear preference for the winner of the country's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft - either Rafale or the Typhoon - and the Indo-Russian T-50 PAK-FA stealth fighter.

Callan said, ultimately, countries that need only interceptors for home defense don't need particularly advanced aircraft. A light fighter similar to an F-16 or F/A-18 might suffice.

"There is 'good enough' for a lot of these markets," he said.

Sweden Sets Export Record of $1.95B

HELSINKI - Sweden's military exports set a record in 2010 despite a contraction of sales to the home market. Moreover, defense industry leaders are forecasting a stronger year in 2012, with Saab's $3.2 billion agreement to deliver 22 Gripen fighter jets to Switzerland providing a lift.

Arms exports by Sweden amounted to $1.95 billion in 2010. This contrasts with an equally high export level of $1.9 billion in 2009 and relatively modest exports, valued at $429 million, in 2001. The Netherlands was the biggest recipient in 2010, with purchases valued at $300 million.

The significant increase in exports has been motivated by a Swedish government policy to look to the wider international market for off-the-shelf weapons and equipment solutions. With fewer contract opportunities available, Sweden's defense industry has started to generate a higher proportion of its sales through exports.

Sweden exported military equipment and materials to 63 different countries in 2010. This compares with export sales to 52 countries in 2000 and 33 in 1990. Despite the government's broader procurement policy, the defense industry has gained from the establishment of the Defense Export Agency, which was established this year to support export initiatives by small, medium and large defense companies.

Exports of military equipment and materials from Sweden hit the $1 billion mark for the first time in 2004. The upward movement in exports since that time has produced export sales of $1.5 billion in 2006, $1.8 billion in 2008 and the $1.95 billion recorded in 2010.

The industry is forecasting exports will break the $2 billion barrier in 2011, when about 62 percent of production will be exported.

Rafale Best Jet On Offer for Brazil: French PM

SAO PAULO - French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Dec. 14 he was confident of selling Rafale fighter jets to Brazil and could beat off rival bids because the aircraft's technology cannot be matched.

The Rafale is competing against Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet and Saab's Gripen for a tender from Brazil to supply 36 multi-role combat aircraft.

The French premier begins a three-day visit to Brazil on Dec. 15."We are confident because we believe that the French offer has the best possible transfer of technology, without equivalent," Fillon said in an interview published with local media.

French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet was quoted earlier this month in Le Monde as saying that unless the Rafale can find a foreign buyer, the government will have to stop funding its production by Dassault Aviation.

The Rafale was used in the recent war in Libya but the fighter has repeatedly lost out in tenders in countries including Singapore, South Korea, Morocco and, earlier this month, Switzerland.

Swiss Socialists Want Public Vote on Jet Deal

GENEVA - Swiss socialists want to hold a referendum on the government's 3.1 billion franc (2.5 billion euro) purchase of a new fighter jet fleet if the deal affects spending elsewhere, it was reported Dec. 3.

The Federal Council revealed on Nov. 30 its proposal to buy 22 Swedish-made Gripen planes to replace its aging F5 fighters.

Socialists fear the deal will mean a rise in military spending that could translate into budget restrictions in other departments, notably education, transport and agriculture.

Meeting in Lucerne on Dec. 3, party members unanimously passed are solution on the matter after a document outlining the group's position was approved in October, ATS news agency reported.

The party rejects the prospect of a spending rise all the more because there was no public vote on the plane deal, described as a "scandal" by National Council (parliament) member Eric Voruz.

It will launch a referendum if parliament seeks a legal base to justify budgetary restrictions or requests a rise in military spending to cover the acquisition.

If such a referendum does not halt the deal the, socialists will call for a moratorium on the purchase until 2025.

The Gripen deal will be put to parliament as part of the government's 2012 arms program. Parliamentary decisions can be put to a public vote in Switzerland if a sufficient number of votes are collected.

Switzerland Investigates Leaked Fighter Jet Report

GENEVA - Swiss prosecutors have launched a probe into a violation of official secrecy after reports related to the purchase of new fighter jets were leaked to the media, a judicial source said Dec. 2.

The federal prosecution office confirmed the launch of the investigation to AFP following reports in local dailies Tages-Anzeiger and Bund.

The probe concerns two classified reports by the Swiss air force that were critical of the Swedish Gripen aircraft, manufactured by Saab, and which were sent to another newspaper, the Basler Zeitung.

The reports were published just days before the Swiss government's decision on which type of combat aircraft to buy.

Despite the damaging reports, the Swiss government opted for the Gripen in the deal worth more than 3 billion Swiss francs (2.5 billion euros), over rival models the French Rafale and the Eurofighter.

Dassault Critiques Financial Logic of Gripen Pick

PARIS - Dassault criticized the financial logic of selecting the Saab Gripen after Switzerland selected the Swedish single-engine fighter jet over the competition rivals Eurofighter Typhoon and the French-built Rafale.

"The 'Swiss-tailored' Gripen only exists on paper. Its technical development and production risk significantly increasing the financial efforts required of the Swiss authorities to accomplish the country's fighter aircraft program," the Dassault-led Rafale International team said in a Nov. 30 statement.

The Rafale reaction came after Switzerland earlier announced it would buy 22 Gripen fighters to replace its fleet of F-5 Tigers.

A Rafale selection would have met the Swiss operational requirements with a smaller number of aircraft "at an equivalent or lower cost," the Rafale industrial team said. Those capabilities had been "demonstrated during the assessments by the Swiss Air Force," the statement said.

The Rafale team regretted that the Swiss authorities "knowingly decided not to position Switzerland at the highest European level as regards to the performance of the new fighter aircraft," the statement said, quoting the Swiss Federal Council.

Saab welcomed the Swiss selection of the Gripen.

"Given that Switzerland is known globally for applying (the) highest procurement standards and requesting state-of-the art technologies, Saab is both proud and delighted that Gripen has been chosen as the Swiss Air Force's future multirole fighter aircraft," Saab said in a statement.

"The Gripen program will create a long-term partnership between Switzerland and Sweden. Saab assures Switzerland a long-term strategic industrial co-operation aimed at creating sustainable high tech jobs, transferring technology and generating export business," the statement said.

The Rafale team said it had reached out to 250 Swiss companies to create a local industrial partnership in the 26 Swiss cantons.

The Swiss defeat follows a setback in the United Arab Emirates for the Rafale, with Dassault's bid described as "uncompetitive and unworkable," by the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, who is also deputy supreme commander of the armed forces.

Switzerland Taps Saab's Gripen as F-5 Replacement

STOCKHOLM - Swedish defense group Saab AB said Nov. 30 it was "proud and delighted" over Switzerland's decision to purchase 22 of its Gripen fighter jets to replace its aging F-5 fleet.

"Given that Switzerland is known globally for applying (the) highest procurement standards and requesting state-of-the art technologies, Saab is both proud and delighted that Gripen has been chosen as the Swiss Air Force's future multirole fighter aircraft," Saab said in a statement.

The Swiss selection "confirms that Saab is a market-leader in the defense and security industry and that Gripen is a world-class fighter system that provides the best value for money", Saab CEO and president Haakan Buskhe said in the statement.

Gripen is already in service with the Swedish, Czech, Hungarian, South African and Thai air forces.

Saab saw its share price take off on the Stockholm stock exchange after the announcement. Saab closed up 11 percent at 120 kronor ($17.75) in an overall market that closed up 5.14 percent.

India May Choose Fighter Next Month: Report

NEW DELHI - India could decide by next month on a $12 billion fighter jet deal which France's Dassault and the Eurofighter consortium are vying for, the country's air force chief reportedly said Nov. 18.
Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne said government officials were working on the shortlisted bids of Dassault and Eurofighter, which were opened Nov. 4.

"We are calculating very hard. There is a lot of work going on. I expect in another four weeks, we should be able to wrap it up," the Press Trust of India quoted Browne as telling reporters in the southern Indian city of Bangalore.
Officials say the name of the lowest bidder will be unveiled after experts assess the "life-cycle" maintenance costs of each plane and other contract details.
"By mid-December we should have very good sense of who has been selected," the Indian Air Force chief said without elaborating.
The contract is for the outright purchase of 18 combat aircraft by 2012, with another 108 to be built in India with options to acquire more.
India in April cut out U.S. bidders Boeing and Lockheed Martin, as well as dropping Sweden's Saab AB and the Russian makers of the MiG 35 from the race.
Such a large order attracted strong lobbying during visits to India last year by U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
India, the biggest importer of military hardware among emerging nations, issued the request for proposals in 2007 and trials of aircraft from the six companies competing for the deal began a year later

U.S. Ready To Sell F-35 to India: Pentagon

WASHINGTON - The U.S. would be prepared to sell India the new F-35 fighter jet, the Pentagon said Wednesday, after New Delhi rejected a U.S. offer of older aircraft in a major competition this year.
In a report to Congress on U.S. defense ties with India, the Pentagon said India was a vital partner and that Washington wanted to bolster security cooperation with New Delhi, including joint exercises and high-tech arms sales.

In the first round of a contest for a combat aircraft contract, India in April shortlisted France's Dassault and the European Eurofighter consortium while rejecting the U.S. offer of F-16 and F-18 jets.
"Despite this setback, we believe US aircraft, such as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), to be the best in the world," said the Pentagon report, referring to the radar-evading F-35 jet.
"Should India indicate interest in the JSF, the United States would be prepared to provide information on the JSF and its requirements ... to support India's future planning," it said.
Mindful of China's rise and growing military reach, President Barack Obama has placed a high priority on deepening ties with India.
The U.S.-India defense relationship has expanded rapidly over the past decade and the administration sees India as a natural partner and global "player," Robert Scher, deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia, told reporters.
India has made no request for more information on the F-35, but the U.S. invitation was "an example of the high regard that we hold India's military modernization," Scher said.
In the April contest for a new multirole fighter for India, Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon beat out U.S. aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, as well as Sweden's Saab AB and the Russian makers of the MiG 35.
The U.S. report noted that India is working with Russia on developing a fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
The Pentagon touts the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as the premier fifth-generation fighter equipped with stealth technology, but the program faces rising costs, with a price tag of nearly $150 million each.
The two U.S. senators who asked the Defense Department for the report welcomed the document but said Washington needed to work to expand its security relationship with India.
"While the report shows that tremendous progress has been made in military-to-military relations over the past ten years, we believe that there is much more that can be done," Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said in a statement.

India to Announce MMRCA Winner Next Month

NEW DELHI - India's $10 billion Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) contest has entered its last stage, with the Indian Defence Ministry alerting the two competitors that the commercial bids will be opened Nov. 4.
Letters were sent Oct. 24 to France's Dassault Aviation and European company EADS, a ministry source here said. After the commercial bids are opened, the lowest bidder will be decided and price negotiations with the winner will begin.

The MMRCA program has picked up momentum in the Defence Ministry, and a contract is likely to be sealed by March 2012.
Based on flight trials of all the MMRCA competitors, the aircraft proposed by U.S. companies Lockheed Martin and Boeing, Sweden's Saab and Russia's MiG Aircraft were ejected from the race, leaving the Dassault Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon in the fray.
The Indian Defence Ministry floated its biggest global tender, worth $10 billion, for the acquisition of 126 MMRCAs in August 2007.
The Indian Air Force intends to replace its aging Russian-built MiG-21 fighter aircraft with the MMRCA because the Indian-designed and -built Light Combat Aircraft has been delayed by more than a decade.
Under the MMRCA proposal, India would buy 18 ready-to-fly fighters off the shelf and the remaining 108 would be built in India under technology transfer from the contract winner.

S. Africa Reopens Probe Into Gripen Bribes: Report

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - South African police have reopened their investigation into a controversial arms deal after Swedish defense group Saab admitted bribes were paid to clinch a contract, according to a July 31 report.

A South African Air Force Gripen fighter jet is on display at a 2006 airshow in Cape Town, South Africa. A July 31 report says an investigation into claims of bribes paid by Saab and BAE to South African officials has been reopened. (File photo / Agence France-Presse)

Officials will approach authorities in Sweden and Britain to find out what their investigations have uncovered about allegations of corruption in the 1999 deal for 26 JAS Gripen fighter jets, South Africa's Sunday Times reported.

Saab last month admitted that 24 million rand ($3.6 million, 2.5 million euros) in bribes had been paid to secure the deal, but blamed its former British partner BAE Systems for making the payoffs.
The Sunday Times said the head of South Africa's elite investigative squad, the Hawks, had sent a letter to parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts indicating the investigation would be reopened, 10 months after the Hawks were sharply criticized for dropping the politically sensitive probe.
"I have already instructed two officials... to approach the relevant authorities in both Sweden [National Anti-Corruption Unit] and the UK [Serious Fraud Office]," Hawks chief Anwar Dramat wrote.
"Subject to approval by these authorities, [we] will assess the available information with a view to determine whether there is information which points to crime[s] in South Africa."
The chair of the parliamentary committee, Themba Godi, said reopening the investigation was "a brave and correct decision."
"Unless justice is being done and is seen as being done on this matter, it's going to continue to cast a cold shadow over the political landscape of the country," Godi told the Sunday Times.
Saab's admission came after Sweden's TV4 television channel said it had evidence the defense group had promised to pay Fana Hlongwane, then advisor to the South African defense minister, millions of euros in bonuses if Pretoria did not back out of the Gripen deal.
Saab said bribes had been paid in the form of bonuses and salaries between 2003 and 2005 by its South African subsidiary Sanip, which was then controlled by BAE Systems.
The deal provided for the sale of 28 Gripen fighters for 1.6 billion euros, later trimmed to 26 planes. The last is due to be delivered next year.
Claims of corruption in the multi-billion-dollar program to modernize South Africa's military after apartheid have threatened to damage the careers of some of the country's top politicians.
In 2005, President Jacob Zuma's former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for charges that included soliciting bribes to Zuma from French arms company Thomson-CSF. He has since been released on medical parole.
Efforts to put Zuma on trial for corruption have collapsed, but questions over the arms deal continue to hang over his presidency.
After Zuma won control of the African National Congress in 2007, the ruling party made a successful push to disband the predecessor to the Hawks, the Scorpions, an investigative unit that led the probe against Shaik and also implicated Zuma in questionable deals.

Sweden Continues Investment in Gripen for 2011

HELSINKI - The Swedish government has opted to continue state funding for further development and maintenance work on the Gripen fighter aircraft program, approving $163 million in spending this year.
The tasks covered by the funding include technical support, product maintenance, flight testing and flight simulator operation to ensure the Gripen's operational capability.

Under this latest contract-specific funding scheme run by state defense material development and procurement agency FMV, aircraft maker Saab will develop continual maintenance and updates for the Gripen C/D in compliance with the Swedish Armed Forces' long-term plan for the aircraft.
Moreover, the funding covers research work to further develop the Gripen's capability. This work includes renewed testing and verification of the Gripen system with the aim of strengthening the Gripen C/D's operational capability.
The $163 million is the latest capital investment by the Swedish government in the Gripen's development. In June, the FMV awarded Saab a $24 million contract covering advanced development of the Gripen C/D, to include delivering an enhanced function of the multirole aircraft navigation system by 2013.
Saab has obtained a number of other Gripen development projects, with a combined value of more than $50 million, from the FMV since January. These range from upgrade tasks to modification of materials used in the Gripen C/D's sub-systems.
Sweden's move to continue state investment in the Gripen comes as the government strives to increase the aircraft's international sales potential by highlighting Gripen's in-theater operational capabilities, demonstrated during Operation Unified Protector in Libya.
The Gripen has clocked more than 160,000 flight hours with the Swedish Air Force eight-fighter squadron in Libya since the end of March, with operations mainly centered on daily reconnaissance and air supremacy missions.
Upgrades to the existing Gripen C/D fleet include integration of two new weapons. In May, South African company Denel Dynamics completed the integration of the A-Darter fifth generation air-to-air missile on Gripen. Saab is integrating Small Diameter Bombs on the aircraf at the Swedish Air Force's test range in Vidsel, Sweden.

Industry Fronts Money for Typhoon Radar R&D

Industry is funding development of the Captor-E active electronically scanned array radar destined for the Eurofighter Typhoon because the four governments in the fighter program don't have the money available at this stage.
Selex Galileo chief executive Fabrizio Giuliani told reporters June 8 that members of the Euroradar consortium and Eurofighter would provide "pre-funding, not self-funding."

The Italian executive said that by the expected signing of a letter of intent backing the AESA program at the Paris Air Show later this month the governments of Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain are "committed to pay back Eurofighter and Euroradar what we anticipate [spending]."
Euroradar, which is led by Selex, also involves EADS and Indra. Eurofighter is the Typhoon management organization operated by BAE Systems, EADS and Finmeccanica.
Bob Mason, the executive vice president for sensors and airborne systems at Selex Galileo, said finance was not an issue. The important thing was to get the Eurofighter nations officially committed to the program through the letter of intent, Mason said.
"We understand the financial constraints. Finance is not the issue; that is being made available by Eurofighter and Euroradar for full-scale development. The issue is the backing of the governments and that's what the letter of intent will give us. Export customers like India and Japan will be more comfortable with the backing of the Eurofighter governments," he said.
The four nations "will join at the appropriate time when they have the budgets available," he said.
The availability of an AESA radar was a key requirement for the multi-billion dollar competition being run by the Indian government to equip the air force with a multi-role medium weight fighter. Typhoon was downselected recently alongside the Dassault Rafale for the final stages of the competition.
Talks over the releasability of the AESA technology to India is still under debate and depends on the final solution and final negotiations, Mason said.
"We are looking at the manufacturer of certain subsystems in India software transition in terms of modes and bringing new modes into the radar as well," he said.
Mason said they had agreed a "large amount of funding" from the Eurofighter governments through to the first production standard radars scheduled for completion in 2014 for aircraft production the following year.
The executive said Euroradar now had a huge team working on the development at Selex's main development plant in Edinburgh and elsewhere.
Aside from the Captor-E, Selex is also working in the combat aircraft field on a similar AESA radar for the Saab Gripen NG, and is involved in separate technology demonstrator programs funded by the British and Italian governments.

Tech Offers Shape India's Jet Picks

Willingness to transfer technology likely helped the multinational Eurofighter Typhoon and French Dassault Rafale emerge as the short-listed rivals for India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program, observers said, although at least one U.S. official said the Indian Air Force's technical requirements were the deciding factor.
The Indian government has not even formally announced the downselect, let alone explained why it ruled out the Swedish Saab JAS-39 Gripen, the Russian MiG-35, and two U.S.-built jets, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper, from the $10 billion, 126-aircraft program.
Instead, the news was passed April 27 to the jet-makers' national governments, irking at least some U.S. industry players.
"The way the decision was made and announced has only made things worse: The [government of India] knew full well the importance the administration attached to this sale. A quiet intimation of the coming decision would have helped considerably. It was really unfortunate that this was not done," said Ashley Tellis, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington.
A Indian Defence Ministry source said the decision was based on technical evaluations and flight tests, not political considerations or influence. Defence Minister A.K. Antony insisted that the selection be based on merit alone, the source said.
A senior Defence Ministry official said India will next open negotiations over technology transfer and price with the remaining bidders, a process that could last all year.
Several analysts said that while the U.S. had allowed its jet makers to offer unprecedented access to technology, European contenders probably pledged more.
"The most likely explanation is that the Europeans wanted and needed it more. They were willing to bend over backwards in terms of technology transfer, in terms of industrial work share and in terms of other regulatory issues, and they really needed this," said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at the Teal Group, Fairfax, Va. "For the U.S. contractors, it would have been gravy, but for the Europeans, it's survival through the end of the decade."
Byron Callan, an analyst at Capital Alpha Partners in Washington, agreed about the stakes, but also said the U.S. companies' loss augurs poorly for their chances in Brazil's fighter competition.
Others disagreed about the role of tech-transfer in the Indian decision.
Tellis said the choice merely reflected the Indian Air Force's (IAF) technical preferences.
"The down-select decision clearly represents the IAF's choice, which the MoD has obviously gone along with as expected," he said.
One senior U.S. administration official agreed.
"I wouldn't see the technology release issue as the clincher," he said. "This was a judgment made on the basis of the technical qualification requirements that the Indian Air Force had established as part of the procurement."
He said the two U.S. aircraft had failed to meet certain Indian technical criteria.
"India would have been well-served to take a more comprehensive look at the transaction," he said.
But the official also conceded there were certain technologies that the U.S. simply would not share.
"We have a defense licensing system which is consistent with the law of the land, and there are certain technologies we're simply not going to hand over. That's just a fact of life," he said.
Boeing disputed the assertion that the F/A-18E/F did not meet Indian technical requirements.
"We believe we offered the Indian Air Force a fully compliant and best-value multi-role aircraft for the defined mission," the company said in a statement.
Indeed, many analysts considered the Boeing entrant to be among the most technologically capable of the rivals, as well as offering the favored twin-engine configuration.
"The F/A-18, that surprised me," said Douglas Barrie, an analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. "My side bet for the program would have been the Rafale, Typhoon and F/A-18E/F making it to the down-select."
One U.S. industry official noted that Indian officials had publicly asserted that viable contenders would have an operational active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, something only the F/A-18/E/F and F-16IN possess. The European contenders are developing AESA arrays.
"Yet, it seems that the IAF and MoD made the decision based on strategic, political grounds, not technical merits," the official said.
Several analysts said India has not forgotten that the U.S. imposed sanctions on the country after a 1990s nuclear test, nor that Washington is working to bolster ties with arch-enemy Pakistan.
For the U.S. government, which has placed an enormous stake on securing a strategic partnership with India, the short-list decision comes as a bitter pill.
"We are reviewing the documents received from the Government of India and are respectful of the procurement process," U.S. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer said. "We are, however, deeply disappointed by this news. We look forward to continuing to grow and develop our defense partnership with India."
Roemer's comments were echoed by the senior U.S. administration official, who noted that the country's relationship was far deeper than one transaction. He noted that India had purchased U.S. weapons worth billions of dollars in recent years, including C-130J and C-17 airlifters and P-8 maritime patrol aircraft.
The official said the Indian bureaucratic system does not know the American system particularly well, which undermines its confidence in the U.S. as a reliable supplier. Over time, the official said India's faith in the U.S. would grow stronger.
"The logic of the U.S.-India relationship is as compelling today as it was on Tuesday in Asia and beyond," he said. "It's not the end of the world."
Bhim Singh, an analyst and retired IAF wing commander, predicted that the rejection of Boeing and Lockheed Martin wouldn't hurt bilateral defense ties.
But Tellis said there would be repercussions.
"I think the Obama administration will be deeply disappointed with this decision - as will the Congress. I think U.S.-India defense relations have been in trouble for a while. I suspect this will make things more difficult," he said.

The Rejected

Boeing has its Navy contracts for the Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler and other orders coming in from Saudi Arabia for the F-15, while Lockheed is shifting its focus onto the gargantuan F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter project.
But Saab needed the Gripen to win the Indian competition to remain in production; the aircraft has few other prospects beyond Brazil.
"They're dead in the water," Aboulafia said.
For the Russians, the MiG-35 loss to the Western contenders is was not entirely unexpected, Barrie said. The aircraft is based on the aging MiG-29 airframe.
Still, the Russians have a huge backlog of Indian contracts, including a deal to co-develop a new fifth-generation stealth fighter, and they acknowledge India's desire to diversify its supplier base. United Aircraft Corp.'s "cooperation with India is the widest of all countries and we understand that Indians do not want to keep all eggs in one basket and try to diversify suppliers," said an official from the Russian company.
Ruslan Pukhov, an analyst with the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies in Moscow, agreed that the rejection of the MiG-35 in the MMRCA tender will not affect other projects.
"While Russia and India had bitterly quarreled over the cost of refitting of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, it has not upset any other project," he said.
The Russians said the MiG met all of India's technical criteria.
Lockheed Martin and Saab acknowledged the Indian decision in written statements, while Boeing said, "We are obviously disappointed with this outcome. Our next step is to request and receive a debrief from the Indian Air Force."

India Shortlists Rafale, Eurofighter for Jet Deal

NEW DELHI - India has shortlisted Dassault's Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon for a $12 billion dollar fighter jet deal, cutting out U.S. bidders from one of the largest military contracts of recent years.

A Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft (top) and a Dassault military jet Rafale are seen. India shortlisted the Rafale and the Typhoon for a $12 billion fighter jet deal on April 28, cutting out U.S. giants Boeing and Lockheed, sources said. (AFP FILE PHOTOS / PIERRE VERDY / PAUL ELLIS)

The U.S. embassy in New Delhi confirmed April 28 that Lockheed Martin's F-16 and Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet had both been ruled out of the running for India's planned purchase of 126 multirole combat aircraft.

Ambassador Timothy Roemer, who announced separately April 28 that he was resigning his post for personal reasons, said the U.S. government was "deeply disappointed" by the decision.
The long-delayed fighter jet deal has seen fierce competition between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, Sweden's Saab AB, France's Dassault Aviation, a European consortium with its Eurofighter Typhoon and the Russian makers of the MiG 35.
It was also the object of intense lobbying during visits to India last year by U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Nicholas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
"It is confirmed Eurofighter and Rafale have been selected and the remaining four are off," a senior Indian defence ministry official told AFP.
"The grounds for their rejection have been individually conveyed,: said the official, who declined to be identified.
He added that the government hoped to sign the final fighter deal by March 2012.
Saab AB confirmed April 27 that it had been notified its JAS-39 Gripen fighter was no longer in contention.
The Eurofighter is made by the four-nation EADS, representing Germany and Spain, Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Finmeccanica.
The contract includes the outright purchase of 18 combat aircraft by 2012 with another 108 to be built in India.
India, the biggest importer of military hardware among emerging nations, issued the request for proposals to the six firms in 2007 and trials of the aircraft competing for the deal began a year later.
In his statement, Roemer said he had been "personally assured" at the highest levels of the Indian government that the procurement process for the multirole fighter "has been and will be transparent and fair."
The procurement of the fighter jets is a key part of India's military modernization program, aimed at securing its borders against its traditional and emerging rivals Pakistan and China.
International consultancy firm KPMG estimates New Delhi will hand out military contracts worth $112 billion by 2016.

U.S. to Brazil: 'Significant' Technology Transfer in F/A-18 Buy

WASHINGTON - Brazil would receive a "significant technology transfer" if it buys U.S.-made fighter jets, a U.S. Defense Department official said Feb. 17, seeking to ease concerns before Brazil selects a winning bidder.

The United States would permit a “significant technology transfer” to Brazil if it buys the F/A-18 from Boeing, a U.S. Defense Department official says. (The Boeing Co.)

The transfer of military technology is a key factor for Brazil as it considers Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Rafale by France's Dassault, and the Gripen NG made by Saab of Sweden for a contract worth between $4 billion and $7 billion.

"I would argue that the technology transfer that we are offering of this magnitude would put Brazil at par with our close partners," Frank Mora, deputy assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs, told a legislative committee.
When asked if it were accurate that Brazil should not have doubts about the commitment to the technology transfer, he replied: "That is correct."
"The United States has made a robust proposal of the Super Hornet technology - a significant technology transfer," he said.
The contract is for 36 fighters with the possibility of many more aircraft in the future.
The competition for the contract has dragged on for years, with President Dilma Rousseff inheriting it from her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who had declared a preference for French planes.
Arturo Valenzuela, assistant U.S. secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, said during the Feb. 17 hearing that "we always raise this issue" in talks between Brazil and the United States.
President Obama is scheduled to visit Brazil in late March as part of a tour that includes stops in Chile and El Salvador.
Brazil and the United States signed a military cooperation agreement in April 2010.