AW&ST:
Saab Considers Joining FCAS Design Effort
Sweden’s Saab has further hinted that the company could be close to joining the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) effort.
CEO Hakan Buskhe told investors that the company has had “fruitful discussions” with the UK and other partners on FCAS as he presented the company’s 2018 annual results on Feb. 15. He said any cooperation strategy on a future program would have to “build our capability, not drain it.” He added he had not yet seen results of Spain joining the Franco/German set up—its entrance was formally recognized on Feb. 14—but said: “We can’t really see our part on that.”
Last year the company confirmed it was having a “deepening dialog” with London about the UK’s Combat Air Strategy and FCAS Technology Initiative, formally launched at the Farnborough Airshow last year. The UK Combat Air Strategy calls on the UK to take the lead in a multinational cooperation effort to develop and produce a combat aircraft and associated system to replace types such as the
Eurofighter Typhoon by the early 2030s.
Saab already appears to be preparing for this date. At the end of last year, the company carried out a 6 billion Krona ($640 million) rights issue to lay the groundwork for future growth, with Bushke stating the money could be used to support cooperation with the UK down the road. The money would “increase the speed of the growth of the company,” and support what he called “megaorders.”