Saab Pulls Gripen E from Swiss Trials, Flies Third Aircraft

Following a formal recommendation from Switzerland’s defense procurement agency, armasuisse, Saab has withdrawn the Gripen E from the current series of flight trials being undertaken to assess the suitability of five contenders for the country’s future fighter requirement. The Gripen team was due to undergo evaluation at Payerne air base in the week June 24-28.

Switzerland’s flight test program was designed to evaluate only aircraft that are operationally ready in 2019, although the requirement does not foresee aircraft deliveries until 2025. Due to the incompatibility of the Gripen E’s development plan with the “2019-ready” requirement, Saab has withdrawn from the evaluation, which it had planned to address with a single Gripen E development airframe and a current operational Gripen C.

In a statement, the Swedish company averred that, “Gripen E will enter into operational service years before Switzerland has scheduled deliveries and will meet all its defined capabilities,” also commenting that, “Competitors have showcased capabilities on existing platforms, which are different to the versions offered for delivery.” Saab submitted its proposals—based on either 30 or 40 aircraft—on January 25 this year.

“We believe that Gripen E is the best choice for Switzerland and the offer, as presented in January 2019, still stands,” the statement went on to say. “Saab is committed to deliver at least 40 Gripen E fighter aircraft on time, meeting requirements and within planned budget, including a comprehensive support concept with local contribution, guaranteeing the most affordable operating costs and the highest level of autonomy.”

Gripen E—with Switzerland heavily involved in development—had been selected years earlier to meet the Swiss requirement, until a 2014 public referendum ended the acquisition process. At the time, Saab says, the aircraft’s development plan was structured to meet the Swiss requirement of a 2021 IOC. Following the cancellation of that procurement, the plan was realigned with Swedish and Brazilian schedules, which will see the delivery of customer aircraft later this year.

In the meantime, the Gripen E development program is accelerating with the first flight of the third aircraft (39-10). On June 10, Jakob Hogberg took the aircraft aloft for a 57-minute flight from the factory airfield at Linköping. Saab plans to have eight Gripen Es flying by the end of 2019, including the first four production aircraft.