The Government's Dilemma: Scrap Gripen or Accept Bill for Billions (Sweden)

Svenska Dagbladet ^ | Sept 28, 2016

[sukhoi-30mki]

(Published in Swedish only; unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) By Tomas Augustsson

STOCKHOLM --- A controversy has broken out among defense commentators in Sweden as to whether it makes sense to break up a large part of the current Swedish Gripen fleet to recover parts that can be used in the production of the new Gripen-E fighter, as ordered by the defence ministry and parliament.

Sweden plans to produce a total of 60 new Gripen-Es at a cost of SEK 36 billion ($4.2 billion) to replace the 96 Gripen C/D currently operated by the Swedish Air Force.

However, many are protesting against the dismantling of the current Gripens, which have just been extensively upgraded – the last upgraded Gripen-C was delivered 18 months ago – by a wide modernization of its main systems and are now able to fire the new MBDA Meteor air-to-air missile.

Many see as unnecessary and financially wasteful to dismantle such modern and capable aircraft simply to provide parts for their successor. Many critics would prefer to continue operating these aircraft, or possibly selling them to another country. Critics also point out that defense company Saab, which produces the Gripen, sees a big future market for both the existing Gripen C / D and the future Gripen E / F.

Most recently, Liberal Party leader Jan Björklund joined the debate by suggesting that the Air Force in future operate 100 combat aircraft, by acquiring the planned 60 Gripen Es supplemented by the retention of 40 Gripen C / Ds. Ideally, he would like to retain all existing Gripens, and increase the Air Force fighter fleet to 160 airplanes.

But new figures from the armed forces shows that it would be very expensive not to take parts from the current plane for the new, and point out that even when the current Gripen C/Ds were built, they used parts taken from the first generation plane, the Gripen A / B.

This time, the scope for re-use of parts is smaller. The new Gripen E is larger, it has a new computer system, new radar, new engine, new electronic warfare systems and more new parts, so many large and expensive parts must be purchased new.

A fixed number of key components can still be re-used, and their estimated value is equal to about one-fifth of the cost of the new Gripen. This means that the cost will increase by 7 billion kronor ($820 million) if all existing Gripens are retained while building Gripen-E using all-new parts.

There will be a considerable increase in costs as it currently is no money for. An alternative is also to pick parts from the old plan, Griffin A / B. Then it is not necessary to buy everything new, and additional cost stays at around 3.5 billion kronor.

“It is a strategic reserve we have. There are parts to a high value that can be reused,” says Colonel Lars Jäderblom, strategy director for the Gripen at the Swedish Armed Forces.

The first new Gripen-E aircraft are to be delivered in 2019. From then, every year 5 to 10 new aircraft are to be delivered to the Air Force until deliveries are completed in 2026.

To cope with the delivery schedule, Saab must bring in parts from the current planes beginning next year, which in turn requires that the Supreme Commander and the government must decide by the end of this year whether to follow the original plan, and dismantle fully operational aircraft, or come up with the money to build entirely new ones.

FMV’s Dan Averstad, who manages the state's purchase of Gripen, says that the current dismantling option remains applicable, and will remain so until and unless politicians change their minds.

“If the decision is to be changed, it risks causing increased costs, which go beyond the defense deal the five [political] parties signed,” said Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist.

There are also other challenges if Sweden chooses to continue with the existing Gripen alongside the new ones. Gripen E has certainly inherited some of its predecessor’s parts and components, but it is still largely a new plane, and it will be high costly to operate two systems in parallel.

Defense could pay for the industry to maintain its expertise in system and to develop the new skills required.

Another problem is that more aircraft also require more pilots, more bases, more combat commanders and more supplementary and support features to keep them operating, adding yet more to total costs.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Saab is to produce the new Gripen-E fighter, seen here at its unveiling in May, using parts taken from in-service Gripen C/Ds. Many now oppose dismantling these recently-upgraded aircraft for parts, but buying all-new Gripen-Es would add 7 billion Swedish kronor to program cost. (Swedish AF photo)

[Paladin2]

Sweden should impose a muzzie tax to pay for this.

[cgbg]

Sweden should abolish their military before their new Muslim masters cause mischief with it.