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Sweden loses yet another fighter plane contract worth tens of billions of kroner. Also Denmark says no to-owned SAAB JAS 39 Gripen, according to key sources.
All indications are that the already highly compressed Swedish aircraft manufacturer already has crash-landed in the fight against two U.S. competitors to create new fighters for the Danish Air Force. Very central sources in both the government parties and the opposition says to Aftenposten that it's definitely not the JAS 39 Gripen. The decision is scheduled to be around New Year. Thus remains the favorite JSF from Lockheed Martin, who beat the Swedes in Norway for almost a year ago, and another flygigant in the United States: Boeing.
Including Norway.
It is important for the Danes that Norway last year chose JSF and had a negative assessment of the JAS 39 Gripen. The Swedes were not only outraged that Norway chose the other finalists. Industry Giant Saab and Swedish government was - and is - as stated above argument against the JAS Gripen. According to Stoltenberg government satisfied not Swedes requirements for new aircraft. Moreover, says the Norwegians that the Gripen is more expensive than the JSF. The math for how much, respectively, the Swedish and American aircraft would cost in the end, is very controversial. At the central government in the Danish decision-making process is still on the Norwegian price analysis:
"It is clear that the economic situation we are in, the price is a very important argument," said a very convenient source with regard to Norway's assessment and relate it to why the Danes turned thumbs down on the JAS Gripen.
-No talking about the Swedish option, "said the second well-placed political sources.
Vicious circle
. It could have been a breakthrough for the Swedes, have become a vicious circle. If NATO veteran Norway had chosen Jas Gripen, it would have been a reference value at least one fighter in gold for non-NATO country Sweden. It would also become an additional public relations effort to beat a strong competitor from the largest NATO country.
Instead of a domino effect which could have given a giant deal with such Danes, gave last year's Norwegian rejection rather than a loser stamp as well. This makes matters worse for the yellow and blue. If there's a miracle in the Danish final sprint, the Swedes are not only missing out on tens of billion again. All of the further development of the Swedish Air Force met with concern and questions. The pressure is enormous. Nerves affected the whole of the Swedish town of Linköping, where aircraft manufacturers are located, even before Norway was to decide last year.
But when they finally know from the Danes, there is reason to believe that the Swedish reaction is reinforced resignation rather than a repetition of the shock when the Norwegian judges voted the JAS 39 Gripen. The same can happen in The Netherlands. Ryker also have the Swedes really only three fingers back to bite nails with: India, Brazil and Switzerland are countries that can save Sweden's future fighter aircraft manufacturer.
More expensive alone.
The Swedes planned to develop its final version, together with such Norway and Denmark. "If Norway chooses Gripen, Sweden will accelerate further development so that the Swedish Air Force have a number of aircraft already before Norway get their deliveries," said SAAB vice president with responsibility for flyvirksomheten, Lennart Sindahl Aftenposten last November.
He admitted that it would be "clearly cheaper" if more countries sharing the costs of further development. That Denmark also turns his back to the JAS Gripen can make it difficult for the Swedes to be cutie brother in the Nordic defense cooperation, as in other areas have become closer in recent years.