Today, the Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency (FXM) invited Croatian media to a press briefing in Zagreb to present the Swedish Gripen offer that has been submitted to the Croatian government.

Through FXM, the Swedish Government submitted an offer including the sale of either twelve or eight of the latest version of Gripen C/D. The offer also includes a support and training agreement for pilots and technicians.

In order to ensure that the Croatian Air Force remains operative without interruption when its current MiG-21s are decommissioned, Sweden is initially offering a loan of older Gripen-A aircraft until the delivery of the Gripen C/Ds.

Linked to a possible Croatian acquisition of Gripen fighters Saab offers an industrial co-operation package. Supported by the combined experiences and resources of its strong industrial network, Saab and the Gripen supplier base offers Croatia a partnership through a new generation defence and industrial co-operation programme. Saab is ready to commit to an industrial co-operation obligation valued at 100 percent of the contract value.

“Saab has an excellent track record of delivering on our promises in Czech Republic, Hungary and South Africa. We offer Croatia industrial co-operation programmes designed to create and sustain high tech jobs, delivering investment and generating sustainable export growth thus generating means to finance the acquisution of a new fighter system”, says Pierre Gauffin, Marketing Director Gripen Croatia, Saab.

Gripen is in operational service with the Swedish, Czech Republic, Hungarian, South African and Royal Thai Air Forces. The UK Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) is also operating Gripen as its advanced fast jet platform for test pilots worldwide.

Source: SAAB
Photo: Rob Vogelaar, Z.A.P.P.