The new SRSS for the UAE uses the Global 6000 aircraft from Bombardier as a platform. The Swing Role Surveillance System is capable of simultaneous detection and tracking of multiple targets in the air, on land and at sea. It is the latest evolution of the Erieye system that incorporates Saab’s many decades of radar capabilities across all domains.

“The new version of Erieye is without a doubt the most capable airborne early warning and control system on the market. Saab’s capability to develop high technology solutions for customers shows that our focus on research and development is the right way to ensure continued competitiveness on the defence market,” says Håkan Buskhe, President and CEO of Saab.

"Saab understands the vital importance of advanced airborne surveillance and we have a family of products that play a key role in defence and civil security. The UAE’s selection of Saab’s solution confirms our strong position regarding airborne surveillance and systems integration,” says Micael Johansson, head of Saab Business Area Electronic Defence Systems. 

The work will be carried out at Saab's facilities in Gothenburg, Linköping, Järfälla, Arboga, Luleå and Centurion (South Africa).

October 28, 2015 By Swedish Defence - defencetalk.com

FXM, the Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency, responded today, Friday 23 October, to a request for information from Croatia concerning the procurement of Gripen aircraft.

The request concerns 8 to 12 newly built aircraft of the C/D model. The request for information that FXM responded to was sent from the Croatian Ministry of Defence in June this year. Sweden has had a positive dialogue with Croatia regarding the Gripen since the year 2007. With today’s answer FXM wishes to emphasize that Croatia is seen as a possible valuable future Gripen partner in an important region where other countries already are flying the Gripen. JAS Gripen is operational in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Sweden, South Africa and Thailand. Brazil has procured the next generation Gripen, Gripen NG.

Read more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 By Richard Tomkins  (UPI)

U.S. Special Operations Command has ordered ammunition for its Swedish-made 84mm recoilless weapon system.

Ammunition for 84mm Swedish recoilless rifles used by U.S. forces is to be supplied by Saab, the company said. The order for ammunition for the Carl-Gustaf M4 system was issued by U.S. Special Operations Command. No information on the monetary value of the order was disclosed. "This order demonstrates the continued confidence of our customer in the capabilities and versatility of the Carl-Gustaf," said Torbjorn Saxmo, head of Saab's Ground Combat business unit. "The system gives soldiers a battle-winning edge through its high accuracy, supreme effectiveness and great versatility."

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01 October 2015 Saab Press release

Defence and security company Saab has received an order from the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation (NDLO) to supply the Norwegian Combat Training Centre with advanced training and simulation systems, plus support. The order amounts to SEK141 million and delivery will be from 2016 to 2020.

Saab’s business unit Training and Simulation has supplied the Norwegian Army with training equipment since 2003. Today’s order is a continuation of the existing service contract but also includes an upgrade of the training facility. The Norwegian Army will be the first customer to receive Saab’s new generation sight simulator unit for vehicles, ensuring a more realistic training experience.

“NDLO is pleased to continue the good cooperation we have had with Saab for several years. This ensures access to advanced training for the Norwegian Army,” says Brigadier Bjarne Nermo, head of NDLO Land Systems Division.

“We are very happy to continue our long and close cooperation with the Norwegian Army. Together we will expand and improve the current training capabilities at the Norwegian Combat Training Centre,” says Dag Wikören, head of marketing and sales for Saab in Norway.

The Norwegian Combat Training Centre consists of a complete battalion-level training system for soldiers, vehicles, anti-tank weapons along with a first-class exercise control system.

Sept 15, 2015 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Saab AB; issued Sept 14, 2015)

Defence and security company Saab has demonstrated and proven an improved capability for its Giraffe AMB radar to detect low, slow and small targets. This ‘Enhanced Low, Slow and Small’ (ELSS) function allows the Giraffe AMB to undertake dedicated counter-Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) operations, while conducting its full suite of regular air surveillance functions.

The new ELSS function was demonstrated in April during a UK-government sponsored trial to test and evaluate radar performance against demanding air targets in a complex environment. Known as ‘Bristow 15’ and conducted over the ranges at West Freugh, in Scotland, the trial is thought to be the only one of its kind held outside the USA.

Over six days more than 100 UAS sorties were flown against the radar, in multiple launches of up to six vehicles at a time. The Giraffe AMB showed unparalleled performance against low, slow and small airborne targets. Despite hundreds of birds and a demanding background of sea and ground clutter, the Giraffe AMB consistently detected, classified and tracked low, slow and small UAS vehicles flying increasingly complex tactical profiles. At the same time, the Giraffe AMB provided full, conventional air surveillance in its regular modes.

“Saab now offers ELSS as part of the Giraffe capability range. This gives a unique performance range from small slow UAVs, to rockets and mortars, to more traditional air targets, but all at the same time,” says Anders Linder, head of business unit Surface Radar Solutions, Saab.

With remarkable accuracy the ELSS function automatically finds and classifies low, slow and small targets; as slow and small as the quadcopter UAS vehicles typically flown by hobbyists. During the Bristow 15 trials, targets had a radar cross section as small as 0.001 sq metres. Saab’s ELSS function pushes the boundaries of small target detection, combines that with the latest in tracking technology and novel target classification techniques and wraps it up with a newly- designed, purpose-built human machine interface concept.

Although it was demonstrated on this occasion with the Giraffe AMB, the ELSS function can now be implemented on all Saab Giraffe radars. This means the Giraffe family of radars uniquely provides a simultaneous capability to detect and classify all kinds of air vehicles from ballistic missiles to the very small UAS.

Sep 15, 2015 ASDNews Source : Saab AB

Defence and security company Saab has received an order from the US Army for the shoulder-launched AT4CS RS (reduced sensitivity) anti-armour weapon system. Deliveries will take place during 2016.

The AT4CS RS is a disposable, preloaded weapon with a specially developed, unique shaped-charge warhead that delivers outstanding behind-armour-effects inside the target. Thanks to this new warhead the AT4CS RS also has improved insensitive munition (IM) characteristics.

Read more

10 September 2015 by Saab

20/07/2015 par SITTA

La 28ème édition du salon UDT « Undersea Defence Technology » s’est déroulée à Rotterdam (Pays Bas), du 3 au 5 juin 2015 au palais des congrès « Ahoy ».

Ce salon a vocation à rassembler les sociétés majeures de la lutte sous la mer et de découvrir les dernières innovations en matière de défense et de technologies de ce domaine.

Le salon UDT Europe 2015 a attiré soixante six exposants provenant de quatorze pays incluant notamment, l’Allemagne, les Pays-Bas, la Turquie, la Suède, le Royaume-Uni et la Norvège.

Forte de ses compétences industrielles reconnues à l’export et maîtrisant de nombreux savoir-faire, l’industrie navale française était notamment représentée par les sociétés DCNS et Alseamar. Ces dernières, se sont distinguées par l’affluence dans leurs stands tout au long de la manifestation et l’intérêt suscité par les professionnels du domaine maritime.

Rendez-vous est déjà pris pour la prochaine édition du salon « UDT Europe » qui se tiendra à Oslo (Norvège) du 1erau 3 juin 2016.

Parmi tous les matériels exposés au cours de cette édition, il convient de retenir :

Sous-marin A26 (Saab – Suède)

Prenant en compte le déplacement des conflits depuis la haute mer vers les zones littorales, Saab propose le A26, un sous-marin équipé d’un système de propulsion AIP et capable d’accomplir un large spectre de missions. Si les solutions proposées par le constructeur suédois permettent à l’A-26 de tenir la haute mer et d’y accomplir des missions de lutte anti-sous-marine et antisurface, des solutions innovantes lui confèrent une capacité à opérer près des côtes. Les missions d’acquisition du renseignement, de guerre des mines entrent dans ce cadre et sont facilitées par l’emploi d’un ROV (Remotly operated vehicle) mis en œuvre par le biais d’un sas situé en partie avant du sous-marin : le Saab’s Multimission Portal. Ce sas permet également la mise en œuvre de nageurs de combat, ouvrant ainsi le champ des opérations spéciales. Posé sur le fond de l’océan, le sous-marin devient indétectable grâce à la forme de carène au design Stealth et son revêtement anéchoïde. L’encapsulage des auxiliaires les plus bruyants, le montage sur des berceaux découplés, la réduction de la vitesse de circulation des fluides dans les circuits internes du bâtiment, garantissent la maitrise du niveau de bruit. Fidèle à Kockums, l’AIP modernisé reprend la technologie de type Stirling, éprouvée et jugée très sure, et contribue à la discrétion du sous-marin ainsi qu’au confort de l’équipage. La résistance aux dommages de combat a fait l’objet d’une attention particulière. Le choix des matériaux, leur usinage et l’assemblage garantissent répondent aux exigences les plus sévères.

Propulsion AIP, qualités manœuvrières remarquables et discrétion acoustique poussée, endurance de 45 jours, sonars et senseurs optoélectroniques et électromagnétiques performants font notamment de l’A26 un excellent outil qui autorise la mise en application d’une politique navale de défense tant en haute mer qu’aux abords du littoral.

Softwares pour gliders et ROV (Seebyte – Royaume Uni).

S’appuyant sur son expérience dans les domaines Oil & Gas, la société SeeByte, dont le siège se trouve en Ecosse à Edimbourg, propose des solutions logicielles qui s’adaptent à tous les types de ROV et Unmanned Maritime System (UMS). Les softwares développés permettent, en premier lieu, le planning des missions et l’optimisation du déroulement de celles-ci. Si les logiciels assurent le contrôle de l’immersion, du cap et de la poussée des moteurs, la société SeeByte dote également les UMS d’une capacité logicielle de discrimination des obstacles sous-marins. Grace aux éléments programmés, la machine est alors capable d’appréhender le milieu dans lequel elle évolue, de réagir en temps réel et de modifier de façon autonome sa trajectoire pour éviter l’obstacle tout en poursuivant sa mission.

Les logiciels implantés par Seebyte prennent en charge les différents de senseurs existants pour permettre la collecte des données. Ces données sont géoréférencées et stockées de façon optimale pour permettre leur traitement ultérieur à terre.

Les interfaces de maintenance simplifiées laissent une certaine latitude aux opérateurs et donne à la plateforme, qui utilise les solutions Seebyte, une grande souplesse d’emploi et réduit les périodes d’indisponibilité au profit des opérations.

19 marines dans le monde utilisent actuellement les solutions informatiques proposées par Seebyte.

Véhicule sous marin à vocation spéciale (Ortega - Pays Bas)

Né de l’esprit d’un designer venu du constructeur automobile Volvo, le véhicule Ortega Mk. 1A est un submersible destiné aux forces spéciales. Equipé d’un ballast permettant d’ajuster la flottabilité, capable de parcourir 41 miles nautiques à la vitesse maximale de 6 nd, la motorisation électrique confère à ce véhicule sous-marin une grande discrétion. Une conception qui fait appel aux matériaux composites ainsi qu’une forme de carène atténuant les réflexions des ondes sonar adverses le rendent quasi-indétectable. Sa capacité d’emport s’établit à 150 kg de matériel.

L’appareil respiratoire du pilote, en combinaison de plongée, est intégré au véhicule sous-marin. Trois autres modèles sont à l’étude : le Mk. 1B biplace, le Mk. 1C triplace et une version cargo. Le modèle biplace, et plus encore la version triplace développée à la demande des forces spéciales, atteint 125 milles nautiques d’autonomie. Le véhicule peut être abandonné sous l’eau pendant plusieurs semaines, alors même que les forces spéciales accomplissent leur mission.

Ce véhicule suffisamment rustique et léger, pour être aérotransporté, peut être équipé en option d’un sonar 3D facilitant l’accomplissement de la mission. L’intégration d’un ROV, commandé depuis ce submersible, est également à l’étude.

Munitions à super cavitation (DSG Technology - Norvège).

La société DSG, implantée au Royaume Uni, propose des munitions évoluant sous l’eau à grande vitesse selon les principes de la super cavitation. La forme de l’ogive permet à la munition de contrôler l’évolution de l’enveloppe de gaz qui l’entoure, et ainsi de gagner en vitesse et en portée sous l’eau. Les portées maximales sont de 2 200 m dans l’air et 60 m dans l’eau.

Ce type de munitions, d’un calibre compris entre 5,56 et 12,7 mm, peut être utilisé dans des armes standard, sans qu’aucune modification ne soit nécessaire. Destinées initialement aux forces spéciales, ces munitions font preuve d’une grande polyvalence : le franchissement du dioptre peut s’effectuer dans les deux sens et ces munitions peuvent donc être tirées depuis le milieu sous-marin vers une cible située en surface ou, à l’inverse, depuis la surface vers un but immergé. Les applications sont multiples. A vocation anti-personnel ou anti matériel, elles peuvent constituer un système de défense anti-torpilles ou de lutte contre les mines de proximité (hard kill), voire d’avertissement face à un sous-marin (soft kill). Des munitions de plus fort calibre, de 20 et 30 mm, sont en cours de développement.

17 July 2015 by defenceWeb

Success in modern combat is less about adding more armour and weight, and more about moving towards the increased self-protection afforded by automated integrated survivability solutions, according to Saab Grintek Defence, which spoke about soft kill technology at the recent Land Forces Africa conference.

These solutions allow for regaining the initiative through quick action and agility that minimise chances of loss and maximise chances of successful counter actions, or allow disengagement from the immediate threat situation, according to Saab Grintek Defence.

This trend moves away from adding conventional armour that tries to absorb impact, a historical trend that has been superseded by evolutions in modern threat management.

One such solution offered by Saab Grintek Defence is the Land Electronic Defence System (LEDS), consisting of an array of threat detectors that provides hemispherical threat warning against all known laser based threats. LEDS-50 provides the ideal solution for combat forces as it can deploy an array of effectors, including multispectral smoke screening, in less than 1.2 seconds after it has detected a laser threat. It is an affordable retrofit or can be included in design specifications for new equipment, according to Saab.

Furthermore, it provides visual and audio warnings, classifies the threat, as well as moving the turret and or remote weapon station (RWS) of the combat vehicle in the direction of the threat.

“The system offers up to 99 percent interruption probability against laser beamrider anti-tank threats, for example the AT-14 Kornet, and reduces the hit probability of the missile by up to 80 percent,” explained Ferreira, Product Manager, Land Self-Protection Systems, Saab Grintek Defence. “Firing this kind of ‘soft kill’ multi-spectral smoke gives users the valuable time they need to regain the initiative and effectively respond against the threat by combining tactics and effectors without being seen visually or thermally by the attacker.”

When integrated to a vehicle’s Battle Management System (BMS), the LEDS-50 analyses the enemy’s attack cycle, alerts occupants that they have been targeted, and then deploys the smoke screen or other appropriate effectors that prevents the enemy from effectively engaging the vehicle. It is also able to identify the direction of the threat, and classify it, inputting enemy information about encounters into a common situational awareness picture, adding a tactical benefit to its basic laser warning capability.

LEDS meets the requirements for the full spectrum of land and amphibious operations regardless of global theatre, and is fully NATO compliant, Saab pointed out.

When combining battle management information with GPS data, a real time picture emerges of threat presence relative to own forces, making it quicker and simpler to devise a defensive response.

“Asymmetric opponents, for example ISIS, makes use of commercial equipment like golfing or hunting lasers to boost the accuracy of their weapons,” Ferreira says. “This enhances their first round kill probability against targets that do not have laser warning and effective fast counter measures.

“At present, more than 70 percent of anti-armour threats are laser related, and this type of threat is becoming more prevalent in asymmetric warfare as was seen recently by the deployment of AT-14 Kornet and TOW anti-tank missile systems by ISIS in Iraq.”

5 juin 2015 by Saab

March 18, 2015 By: Greg Waldron - FG

Langkawi - Maritime patrol and surveillance were the most prominent themes of this year's LIMA show, as big manufacturers jockeyed to promote their various solutions for the mission.

Industry sources say that Kuala Lumpur is in the process of crystallising a requirement for six to eight long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA).

The potential requirement attracted attention from a range of companies including Boeing, Saab, Dassault, and Indonesian Aerospace.

Boeing brought its Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) technology demonstrator to the show. The type appeared on the static line, and the US airframer briefed media and officials on the MSA's capabilities. A modified Challenger 604 business jet, the unarmed MSA is optimised for high altitude, broad area surveillance.

Saab, Dassault, and Indonesian Aerospace also displayed models of MSA and MPA solutions on their stands.

March 17, 2015 By Andrew Chuter – Defense News

LONDON — Britain has taken a significant step toward updating its air defenses on the Falkland Islands by kick-starting a competition to supply a key element of a new ground-based system.

Defence Ministry officials recently briefed industry on its requirements for a battle management C4I system and have triggered the process toward selecting a contractor to do the work by issuing a pre-qualification questionnaire.

An MoD spokesman declined to confirm the system is destined for the Falkland Islands, saying that commenting on deployment details is "inappropriate" at this time.

Industry sources, though, said the BMC4I system is scheduled to head to the British overseas territory in the South Atlantic, some 300 miles off the coast of Argentina.

Britain and Argentina fought a bloody war over the islands in 1982 and the dispute concerning sovereignty of the territory, known in Buenos Aires as the Malvinas, continues to rumble on diplomatically.

Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Saab were among the companies known to have attended the February briefing by the British MoD.

The contract comes in what the British call its B1 funding category, which means the value of the BMC4I deal lays somewhere between £100 million (US $147 million) and £250 million.

The command-and-control system will be part of an air defense system that will include a new ground-to-air missile being developed by MBDA and Saab's Giraffe radar, which is already in service with the British military.

The MoD spokesman said the BMC4I-based requirement is in the assessment phase with the contract award to go ahead, known here as the main gate decision, by May 2016.

He declined to give an in-service date for the system.

However, the MoD's Contract Bulletin reports that the winning contractor will have to provide five years of initial support in a contract set to end in 2025.

The British Army recently received the last unit of a similar ground-based air defense system from Lockheed Martin, known as Land Environment Air Picture Provision, or LEAPP.

The spokesman said LEAPP hadn't been considered because the new requirement involved additional capabilities.

"The potential threat posed to our forces from air platforms and their munitions has evolved and the system required must interact with the Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS) (Land) and G-AMB radar system, meaning it needs a solution incorporating additional capabilities (like weapon control) for which LEAPP was not designed," he said.

LEAPP achieved full operating capability in December and the spokesman said reliability and functionality of the system is exemplary.

Britain awarded missile-maker MBDA a £228 million contract in December to develop the FLAADS (Land) weapon system.

The new weapon is destined to replace the long-serving Rapier anti-air missile as part of the Falklands ground-based defenses and in other British Army units by 2020.

With an aging Air Force, Argentina poses no threat to the islands, which are guarded by a small force of Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters and ground-based assets.

The Argentineans, though, have been trying, so far without success, to modernize a force that consists of Mirage III, Super Entendard and Nesher combat jets.

March 10, 2015 By Aaron Mehta – Defense News

WASHINGTON — Boeing and Saab have teamed up to develop a Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) program, with three successful test launches of the new system completed last month.

The three tests, conducted at a range in Sweden, proved that the Boeing and Saab design could successfully launch a SDB weapon from the ground, sync up with GPS and guide the weapon to its target, opening up what Beth Kluba, vice president for Boeing Weapons and Missile Systems, called "all-angle, all-aspect attack."

The system essentially sticks a GBU-39B small diameter bomb, widely used by the US military and a number of international customers, on the front of a M26 rocket. The M26 is set to be demilitarized by 2018 under a set of cluster munitions treaties, meaning the GLSDB program would essentially be recycling an item that countries were planning to stockpile or scrap.

The weapon is designed to be launched out of a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), used by a number of US allies already, avoiding the need to design a new launch system. That MLRS can hold six weapons per pod, with two pods per vehicle.

Executives from the two companies are positioning the system as a low-cost product that meets a requirement gap by combining off-the-shelf products.

"These are technologies that are already in use," Kluba said. "It's off-the-shelf technology. That really drives the risk down for this new capability."

Once launched, the SDB acts as any air-launched SDB would, which means ground-based commanders now have 360-degree coverage. The weapon can do both high and low angles of attack, fly around terrain to hit targets on the back of mountains, or circle back around to attack a target behind the launch vehicle.

Range-wise, the GLSDB can hit targets 150 kilometers in front of the launcher or 70 kilometers behind it.

While declining to put a price range for the system, Kluba said it will be "very affordable" and comparable in price to anything the MLRS currently uses. She also predicted an 18- to 24-month delivery time from when a contract is signed to when the system would be fielded.

"This is not developmental, it's not PowerPoint," she said. "It' hardware, it exists, and through our investment we're able to bring this capability to the war fighter very quickly."

That investment she mentions is all internal R&D spending, something split between the two companies.

According to Kluba and Saab North America President Michael Andersson, there are ongoing discussions with a number of customers, including several who were present for the weapon tests in February. While Kluba confirmed the US Army is looking at the system, she declined to identify other customers.

Boeing actually began development of the GLSDB system in 2011, but dramatically sped up the process once Saab signed on as a partner in August.

Both executives also declined to go into details of how the investment has been split between the two companies. However, it is clear that a big part of Saab's role will be to help sell the system to nations overseas, something in line with previous Boeing teaming efforts.

"From Boeing's point of view, this was something we wanted to do and we were moving towards that goal," Kluba said. "As we conducted out various reviews, we saw an opportunity, because we have a relationship in place with Saab, and as we were looking at the market and how to be most successful in penetrating the global market, we saw an opportunity."

"We view ourselves as equal partners," Andersson said. "We're bringing different skills and capabilities to the program, and that ranges from engineering production, testing and also marketing."

Andersson added that there are 10 potential initial customers identified by the companies, adding that this is a program that could exist even if the US does not buy in.

"Looking at the international coalition partners, this is a very important capability," he said. "In the US context it may be more complimentary. Here it is a unique capability that they haven't had access too, and that's really important in terms of looking at the broader market."