Andrzej Jeziorski/WARSAW
Arie Egozi/TEL AVIV
SAAB HAS HELD preliminary discussions with several Israeli companies, including missile manufacturer Rafael, about an Israeli-sourced weapons package to be offered as an option with its JAS39 Gripen proposal for the Hungarian air force.
Hungarian air force officials are understood to have expressed interest in Israeli-manufactured air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons, and contacts between Saab and the Israeli manufacturers are under way say sources close to the talks. Saab declines to comment.
Weapons known to be included in the discussions include a variant of the Rafael Python 3 short-range infra-red guided missile which is believed to be a hybrid design drawing on elements of Rafael's Python 4. Laser-guided bombs are also included.
The Hungarian air force favours purchasing new fighters in preference to upgrading its obsolescent Mikoyan MiG-21 Fishbeds. Saab is in competition with Lockheed Martin, offering ex-US Air Force F-16A/Bs or new-build F-16C/Ds, and Dassault, proposing the Mirage 2000.
Saab is also canvassing the Gripen in Poland, with licence-production as part of the offer. If selected, the JAS39 would be built by PZL-Mielec and, possibly, PZL-Rzeszow.
Sweden is also offering to lease up to 50 JA37 Viggens until the Gripen comes into service. Polish sources say that Saab is also offering future joint export of Gripens to other countries. This deal is thought to be linked with other contracts between the Swedish and Polish defence industries.
Saab is competing with Lockheed Martin, while McDonnell Douglas is offering the F-18. MAPO-MiG is proposing licence-production of its MiG-29M. McDonnell Douglas was in Poland earlier in February briefing the air force and industry on its fighter.
Source: Flight International
