Today, the Indian Air Force does not have the luxury
of time as an increasingly hostile and complex air domain is challenging air
forces around the world with a range of threats ranging from long range
missiles to asymmetric warfare in the shape of drones that are already
extracting a heavy toll in on-going conflicts. “We will start delivery from the
third year after contract,” says Kent-Åke Molin, Head of Gripen for India
Programme. That projection is rooted in not just the capability and track
record, but also the extensive discussions Saab has been having with Indian
partners and suppliers.
“There is a blueprint,” says Kent-Åke, “not only to
build aircraft, initially out of Sweden and then in India at a rapid pace, but
also to build, in parallel, an Indian eco-system of Indian companies, as we
have done in Brazil, for India to continuously upgrade Gripen through its
lifespan but also commence designing future aircraft indigenously.”
This approach also envisages empowering the IAF to
start incorporating, from the very start, customised national software and AI
in the highly agile platforms at the core of Gripen avionics, which can be
rapidly scaled up as greater processing power and AI are put to use. “Today, any other
fighter aircraft, for that matter any other aircraft, that does not have
agility in upgrading its systems, ranging from Electronic Warfare to Human
Machine Collaboration, on a continuous basis is obsolete even before it is
inducted into service. Gripen is the only fighter aircraft with the ability to not
only incorporate new technology without significant fleet downtime due to its
ability to rapidly qualify and certify new software, but also to give air forces
the unique capability to build, qualify, incorporate and certify their own
software onto Gripen without the involvement of the manufacturer.”
At the core of Saab’s India proposition is to deliver
aircraft quickly and build Indian capability fast in order to enable the IAF to
multiply its fleet options, plan new platforms for the future and even look at spin-offs
in the autonomous and unmanned areas. As demand for cutting-edge defence
platforms grows, the ability to scale and adapt production lines has become
critical in meeting national security objectives. Saab offers the IAF a
partnership that is aimed at building current and future capabilities to innovate,
manufacture, upgrade and maintain together as well as independently.
Saab’s long standing partnership with the Brazilian
Armed Forces is testimony to the extensive Transfer of Technology and
industrial cooperation that Saab offers to all its Gripen customers. The
collaboration has been instrumental in the development of Brazil’s indigenous
defence industry, with Brazilian companies like Akaer, Embraer and AEL Sistemas
at the heart of the development, production and flight testing of Gripen.
A full Transfer of Technology will ensure a higher
degree of indigenous content and generation of high-tech jobs, boosting both
the Indian aeronautics ecosystem and its export capacity. Saab’s Gripen offer
to India provides continuous operational relevance with sustained upgradability
of an aircraft that would be produced locally, with all upgrades, maintenance,
repair and overhaul done at the proposed Gripen Centre, maximising operational
availability of the aircraft. The collaboration also seeks to enhance the long-term
capabilities of the domestic defence industry, effectively enabling India to
design future-ready technology.
War is inherently unpredictable. To outpace the technological
advancements of enemy nations, a strong partnership with reliability,
cooperation and innovation as its touchstones becomes vital. Saab’s offer to
India is not merely a defence sale, but a commitment to the future.