Saab has unveiled a 5,000-square-meter facility for its future Gripen fighter jet aerostructures plant: Saab Aeronáutica Montagens, in the city of São Bernardo do Campo, in São Paulo state, Brazil.
Saab Aeronáutica Montagens (SAM) will produce aerostructures for the Brazilian Gripen fighter and is preparing to become part of Saab´s global supply chain.
The plant will be responsible for producing six complex structural parts for Gripen acquired by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), such as the tail cone, aerodynamic brakes, wing box, front fuselage for the single-seat and two-seat versions and the rear fuselage for the single-seat version of the aircraft.
Operations will begin at SAM in 2020, with 55 employees, with the number set to rise to 200 by 2024. Among them will be engineers and technicians, who until then will be trained in Linköping, Sweden, for up to 24 months.
Mikael Franzén, Head of Business Unit Gripen Brazil, Saab Aeronautics, said: “We are transferring knowledge and production capacity for complex aerostructures to Brazil, in compliance with our offset agreement. The plant is planned to be part of the global Saab supply chain for the civil aviation and defence markets.”
Saab AB will be the majority shareholder in SAM with 90% and the Brazilian engineering company Akaer will be a minority shareholder with 10%. At the same time, Saab has increased its stake in Akaer to 28% in a stock swap agreement.
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