Gripen production has started for South Africa and Hungary

Last October, the production start of 28 South African and 14 Hungarian Gripen aircraft began. Saab Aerostructures has the responsibility for the aircraft assembly.

South Africa has ordered 28 Gripen aircrafts with first delivery due in March 2008. In October 2003 the first South African production line in Linköping was inaugurated.

The first SA aircraft has now passed all three assembly steps and is in its last assembly phase, the fuselage assembly jig. There the three sections will be built into one aircraft fuselage. Final assembly is scheduled to start in January 2006.

Hungary is leasing 14 Gripen from the Swedish government for 10 years, and then the aircraft will be bought by the Hungarian government. The new aircraft are produced with some support of surplus material from the Swedish government. When the aircraft are ready for delivery they will be fully adapted to NATO and export standards.

The assembly of the first Hungarian units was made in late October, and there are now five Hungarian aircraft in assembly. The first Hungarian aircraft is now in three sections. On the 4th of June, the assembly starts in the fuselage jig to make it one a/c fuselage. The start of final assembly is scheduled to the first of October 2004.

Back to CNB 3/2004