The most likely export customers for the Gripen fighter remain eastern/central Europe, South America and both the Middle and Far East, say joint venture partners Saab and British Aerospace.
Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding, the Hungarian air force was thought to be the most likely candidate for launching the Gripen outside Sweden.
This decision has now been delayed "indefinitely", Saab president Bengt Halse said at the show yesterday. "It's not the first time that a decision on buying a major weapons system has been delayed ... and we're still hopeful of a satisfactory conclusion for all concerned."
The first of the world's fourth-generation multi-role fighters to enter production, the Gripen flying in the show is a production aircraft, flown by Maj Ken Lindberg from the Swedish air force. Further displays are planned for Poland and Hungary during September.
British Aerospace's Mike Rouse, military aircraft division general manager, says that the joint venture company, launched at the 1995 Paris airshow, is looking to sell 250 aircraft worldwide.
"Because it's such a good airframe, we have to make few changes - other than to the climate control system - when preparing the Gripen for export," he says. "You'll understand that the weather in Sweden is very different to that experienced in some of our potential markets!"
To date, 25 Gripens have been delivered to the Swedish air force. Batch one, comprising 30 aircraft, will be completed by the end of the year and the first delivery of airframes from batch two will take place late in 1996. Negotiations regarding the third batch of Gripens are in progress and a decision is expected in December. The number of aircraft will be sufficient to equip a further four Swedish squadrons.
The Swedish air force is presently intensifying tactical development and flight training of new pilots for the Gripen. The first full squadron will be operational late in 1997.
When asked whether British Aerospace's experience in negotiating lease deals in the commercial sector could result in similar activity in the military marketplace, particularly concerning the Gripen, Mike Rouse says that bankers are unlikely to take too kindly to having equity tied up in equipment which could get shot down in time of war.
Source: Flight Daily News
