Transfer of Technology Programme Rolls Out

Saab Aeronáutica Montagens (SAM), Saab’s first aerostructures plant outside Sweden for the new GRIPEN E/F fighter, has reached another important milestone with the start of production.

This site, located in São Bernardo do Campo, builds GRIPEN sections which will then be delivered to final assembly facilities at the Embraer plant in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil and to Linköping, Sweden.

In 2014, Saab signed a contract with Brazilian government for development and production of 36 aircraft. In September last year, the first Brazilian GRIPEN E was delivered to start the flight test programme.

The tail cone and front fuselage of the single-seat GRIPEN are the first aerostructures to enter production at SAM. Subsequently, the aerodynamic brakes, rear fuselage, wing box and front fuselage for the two-seater version will also be manufactured here.

“This is another outcome of the transfer of technology (ToT) of the GRIPEN programme. Based on theoretical and practical on-the-job training of Brazilian engineers and assemblers at Saab in Linköping, we were able to establish a highly qualified production line at SAM, following the same standards that we have in our factory in Sweden,” commented Jonas Hjelm, head of Saab’s business area Aeronautics.

Currently, SAM has more than 70 highly qualified employees, half of whom are participating or have already participated in the ToT programme in Sweden. Some of these employees have already completed the training and returned to initiate production in Brazil.