"The United States is guaranteeing the same export clearances for the Gripen as for their own aircraft." Such was the assurance given to the press at Farnborough by Saab-BAe marketing GM Hans Kruger at Farnborough on Tuesday. His remarks followed U.S. authorization in August to market and subsequently re-export the substantial U.S. content of the Gripen, including its GE F404-derived Volvo RM12 turbofan, to South Africa, which had previously been the subject of an arms embargo.

South Africa is one of nine to 10 countries involved in sales negotiations for, or evaluations of the Gripen, which has also been flown by pilots from nine different countries, in addition to Sweden. Gripen flight demonstrations in Eastern Europe were recently extended to include Romania, following earlier visits to the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia; and Saab-BAe export efforts are directed towards the achievement of up to 400 sales from an estimated world market of around 2,000 new combat aircraft between now and about 2015.

Claimed as the first fourth-generation fighter to be in full operational service, with design life-cycle costs some 60% or less of the earlier Viggen, the Gripen is considered by Saab-BAe to be in a strong competitive position, with ownership costs below those of its contestants. It is also being offered with competitive finance, including industrial participation for offset contracts, although its hottest prospects in Chile and the Philippines have postponed further procurement plans because of funding problems.

Upgrades for the 64 Gripens ordered for Lot 3 production in 1997, including a second batch of 14 two-seat JAS 39Bs, bringing overall SAF orders to 205, are now being finalised for delivery from 2001. They are expected to include some export modifications, with options for non-metric flight instrumentation, new IFF and communications avionics for common NATO and night-vision compatibility, provision for air-to-air refueling (AAR) for SAF peacekeeping operations, an international cockpit with larger and color cockpit displays, onboard oxygen generation, helmet-mounted sight, full FADEC engine control, and increased takeoff weight.

Longer-term studies are continuing into thrust-vectoring, electronically-scanned AISA radar, and other new sensor and systems technologies. Saab-BAe has also disclosed selection of the UK's Vinten Vicon 70 Series 72c day/night reconnaissance pod, with a variety of electro-optical and infrared sensors for export versions of the Gripen.

By John Fricker