Swedish defence major Saab has offered to manufacture its fifth generation Gripen fighter aircraft here with technology transfer to India, in a renewed bid for a pie in the multi-billion dollar worth Indian Air Force (IAF) modernisation plan. Saab, which had lost out in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft tender in 2011 which was won by French firm Dassault Aviation, anticipates that the IAF will need more the 36 Rafale fighter jets that India is buying from France to beef up its depleting fleet.
Saab is not only offering to set up a base here but also help in the development of aerospace capability for the next 100 years and partner in developing the next version of indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), being developed and designed by Aeronautical Development Agency.
Ulf Nilsson, head of Saab's aeronautics division, told PTI that the company is already doing its homework and identifying partners for collaboration.
Nilsson said the offer of technology transfer would be real as they are offering India 'full system control' and 'full software control'.
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