Sweden Looks Abroad for Sea Gripen Partners
HELSINKI - Saab's move toward a carrier-borne Sea Gripen faces financial hurdles as the government has not committed to funding, but the need for a carrier variant is becoming critical.
An aircraft carrier version of the Gripen is recognized by Saab and the Swedish government as instrumental to unlocking new export orders and bolstering the multirole fighter's international competitiveness. One official indicated that with added value, such as a carrier variant, the Gripen might still be considered for the Indian fighter competition even though two other candidates have been short-listed.
However, the government has stopped short of offering state money to support the commercial-scale development of a Sea Gripen - but neither has it closed the door entirely. Defense Minister Sten Tolgfors continues to champion international partnerships as the most cost-efficient and viable solution in the further development of the Gripen.
Saab acknowledged the need for a carrier-borne version of the Gripen when it confirmed plans, in mid-May, to provide capital funding to open a design center in the United Kingdom this year with the specific task of producing a concept blueprint for a Sea Gripen. Saab said it could leverage carrier-borne aircraft engineers and expertise at a lower cost than would be the case in Sweden.
"We expect this design phase to take between 12 and 18 months. In this time frame, Saab could be in a position to start delivering in 2018, if we secure a contract," said Hakan Buskhe, Saab CEO.
The final Sea Gripen design will be intended for CATOBAR (catapult assisted takeoff but arrested recovery) as well as STOBAR (short takeoff but arrested recovery) operations, targeting smaller-sized carriers with a displacement as low as 25,000 tons. This is in the range of India's INS Vikrant-class aircraft carrier.
Saab's proposed Sea Gripen venture in Britain is a direct response to a perceived weakness in its recent bids to aircraft carrier nations India and Brazil, said Tomas Holt, a Berlin-based industry analyst.
"Despite the fact that the Gripen failed to make it to India's short list of candidate aircraft, Saab still believes that it is not out of the competition and can negotiate its way back into the contest if it can add new value, and a Sea Gripen version would be part of this new added value," Holt said.
Saab is contemplating bolting extra-value to its U.K. design center by adding a parallel flight demonstrator to the project. The company wants to find collaboration partners in Britain to work with the Swedish defense group on the Sea Gripen and the demonstrator.
India picked the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale for its Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft program short list, while the Gripen, Lockheed Martin's F-16 and Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet failed to make the cut.
"India hasn't told us we are completely out of the picture," Bushke said. "We believe we still have a role to play. We are offering India a world-class next-generation fighter at a very competitive price and extensive technology-transfer program. We will closely monitor the future process and provide additional information if requested by the Indian Ministry of Defence."
Saab's carrier ambition for the Gripen dates to the 1990s, when the company made some tentative, but ultimately undetermined, moves to put a program in place. The Sea Gripen project was resurrected in 2009 when it became clear that the lack of a carrier version could weaken Saab's tenders for both the Indian and Brazilian competitions, with these two countries having a potential carrier aircraft need.
The costs involved in redesigning the Gripen-NG to a carrier-version standard would be higher if the aircraft did not already include some important features, such as its short-field takeoff capacity, Holt said.
"The Gripen's original design was configured so that it could execute short takeoffs from roads," Holt said. "It would need more work to meet hardened landing and more shock absorption to deal with catapult assisted takeoff and arrested recovery challenges. There is no doubt that Saab has the capability to develop a well functioning Sea Gripen. The question is, who will buy it?"
Other modifications needed would include a strengthened undercarriage, more robust brakes and a tail hook.
On the plus side, the Gripen has several carrier-compatible attributes, including a precision landing capability, a high pitch-and-roll rate ability, precision glide slope control, a reinforced airframe and advanced anti-corrosion protection.
Preliminary estimates by Saab and Sweden's MoD suggest it would cost up to $1 billion to take a Sea Gripen carrier-version to the production stage.
While Tolgfors has not clearly indicated the state will or will not fund the project, even part of the total capital expenditure, it is expected the government would loosen its purse if Saab sold the Gripen to Brazil or India.
"The day a country ceases to further develop its fighter aircraft is the day that country's air force starts to lose its relevance. In my view, the further development of Gripen will prove to be the best and most cost-effective way for Sweden to keep its Air Force capable over the long term," Tolgfors said.
