Saabs strategy is to strengthen partnership with Embraer
Valor Econômico
In the final stage of the bidding competition for the supply of 36 multipurpose fighters, Swedish company Saab promises to turn Brazil into an export platform for its planes and it is making every effort to convince the FAB (Brazilian Air force) that the new jet of the company has left behind the main obstacles pointed by its critics in the previous dispute. In the first version of the F-X project, ended in 2005 with no purchases, Saab offered the Gripen C/D fighter. The aircraft had good operational evaluation, but there were problems regarding flight autonomy and possible vetoes in the transference of technology, since one-third of the components are American - the other two-thirds, divided in a relatively equal way, are from Swedish suppliers and from European suppliers.
Janér assures Saab obtained "all licenses required" from Swedish Government to transfer technology to Brazil and local suppliers will be allowed to enter in the project while it is still underway. If it wins the F-X2 dispute, Gripen intends to produce, together with Embraer, not only the fighters for the FAB, but also for futures orders from other countries, according to the executive. The Swedish headquarter estimates in up to 15 thousand the amount of direct and indirect jobs that will be generated in the country. "We are offering to create a Swedish-Brazilian platform", defines the executive.
Since 2001, Saab has, in Brazil, a partnership with Embraer in the area of aerial early warning systems. The company provided Embraer the Erieye surveillance system, which was embedded in the ERJ-145 airplane, developed at first to equip the Amazon Surveillance System (Sivam). The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired five of these aircrafts that currently work with the E-99m designation. The model was also bought by Mexico and Greece. "We have worked together with Embraer in the export of these aircrafts and we have proposals in South Africa, Oman and Malaysia", says the International CEO.