Gripen NGs for Argentina..!

[Junta Mafia]

defense-aerospace.com is today reporting that Argentina and Brazil have signed an agreement to strengthen aerospace cooperation, with a purchase of 24 Gripen NGs produced by Embraer in the works:

Quote: "Minister Agustín Rossi also announced the decision of the Argentine government to begin negotiations to purchase 24 Swedish-designed Gripen NG combat aircraft that will be produced in Brazil. The conditions of purchase, as well as the eventual Argentine participation in the production of these aircraft, will be the subject of negotiations in the coming months between representatives of the two countries."

Interesting ramifications for the Typhoon chaps down in the FI if this comes to pass. I guess Clarkson REALLY upset the Argentinians with that license plate a few weeks ago?!

[Courtney Mil]

An interesting issue with a very long lead time from a country that can't even afford to maintain the mil hardware it already has. The Brasilia angle means this will mean very little to the Typhoon guys in the Falklands, so no worries there.

Did you join just to post this? Is there an ulterior motive here?

[West Coast]

An interesting issue with a very long lead time from a country that can't even afford to maintain the mil hardware it already has.

Are you speaking of the UK or Argentina?

[O-P]

...and exactly how would Argentina pay for them? Given their previous on debt defaults, I'm not sure who would extend them any form of credit. I'm also guessing that Meteor and AIM-120s won't be on the shopping list.

[Courtney Mil]

Yes, West Coast. A good point. I think O-P has made my real point.

[Lima Juliet]

Best she starts printing some more Monopoly money then!

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02343/kirchner_2343967b.jpg

I wonder if they'll call the aircraft the 'vulture' after their favourite lenders!

LJ

[West Coast]

Indeed Courtney, just had to take the shot and inject some dark humour.

[Courtney Mil]

AlwYs appreciated. Like I said, it's a good point. Sad, but true!

[The Helpful Stacker]

Is she holding Argentina's entire contingency reserve?

[Courtney Mil]

Ooh, HS. You mean she's got all that dosh. Hmm. You know, she's not all that bad looking, is she?

[Typhoon93]

Sounds like a publicity stunt from the Argentines, trying to redeem their selves by beating that big hairy chest...

[O-P]

Has she got a hairy chest? I'll bet she hasn't got a war chest (In money terms).

[TBM-Legend]

Well the beat the Wallabies a week or two ago!

[Typhoon93]

Dunno - although I bet she wishes she had one, if she doesn't!

I'd be pissed off too if a Yorkshireman and his mates made me look like a twit.

[O-P]

In all, semi, seriousness. There is a court case running in the US that has effectively shut down all lines of credit for the Argentine Economy. Short off Nationalizing (stealing) other peoples assets, like Repsol, they have no cash, credit or ability to gain either.

I suppose they could buy the NG and then pay a Gizzilion bingo bongos to have something else integrated into the weapon system. On the other hand, Santa needs more help wrapping presents and the Tooth Fairy has a Calcium allergy.

[Melchett01]

Interesting ramifications for the Typhoon chaps down in the FI if this comes to pass.

Actually quite handy given the Grippen experience the UK has at Boscombe. Will make life a bit easier in any pre-deployment training rather than having to guess or ask partners and allies for hints and tips.

[NutLoose]

Jeez, I think Eva Peron is more attractive..... And she's dead.

[mopardave]

I'd be pissed off too if a Yorkshireman and his mates made me look like a twit.

Steady on young man.......what's wrong with Yorkshiremen.........some of my best friends are from Yorkshire!

[O-P]

They did. There is the extra 10 characters.

[mopardave]

Ooh, HS. You mean she's got all that dosh. Hmm. You know, she's not all that bad looking, is she?

god forgive me but I'm with Courtney on this one!

[LowObservable]

Saab offers excellent financial terms. And the move sounds as if the adults in Argentina's leadership may be more than ready to close down the Malvinas thing as soon as the screen door and Madam President's butt make their final contact.

[NutLoose]

Quote:
Ooh, HS. You mean she's got all that dosh. Hmm. You know, she's not all that bad looking, is she?
god forgive me but I'm with Courtney on this one!

Each to their own, personally I think she misinterpreted the instructions and injected buttocks into her face.

[mopardave]

Each to their own, personally I think she misinterpreted the instructions and injected buttocks into her face.
now now........we're all gods children!

[knowitall]

Whats the percentage Non-Swedish parts in Gripen NG?

the current generation Gripen is 50% USA origin and 25% British


Good luck with those export certificates!

[O-P]

LO

Really!

Would you lend your best buddy 20 Quid if he had failed to repay it the last 4 times? OK, if you did would you lend him about $17B? Nah, didn't think so.

Argentina has a massive economic problem. The IMF, World Bank or Bill Gates couldn't, and can't pull this one out the toilet pan.

[t43562]

RE missiles. There is the A-Darter that's getting integrated onto Gripen and Brazil is a partner in developing it. I have read that there is a BVRAAM missile under development by Denel too although I presume that is a very long way off. I'm not sure how easy it is for South Africa or Brazil to sell them to anyone given that there are US components inside.

[skua]

Back to reality - there is not a whisper of this on the Embraer website, and you would expect such a deal to be announced there.

[rh200]

Got your beer goggles on? Don't browse PPRuNe when obviously pissed.

Hmm, I don't know there's something about her that does it for me, though i think she's seen better days. Could be worse could be lusting after Hillary:p

As for the current topic, I'm surprised Vlad not taking advantage of the situation and offering up some quality hardware.

[BEagle]

KC-390 plus Gripen NG would make a good team!

[XR219]

I'm also guessing that Meteor and AIM-120s won't be on the shopping list.

I'm guessing they'll have to go looking for another radar too, given that the Gripen E's is designed and built in the UK!

[Typhoon93]

Steady on young man.......what's wrong with Yorkshiremen.........some of my best friends are from Yorkshire!

Mopardave, the sense of humour up there is rough! Most people down South can't handle it (I'm a Southerner), so the Argies will go insane! I have no problem with Yorkshire, a member of my family is from Leeds!

[Martin the Martian]

Is this the same Argentina that a year or two back were trying to scrape together enough money to buy a handful of 35-year-old Mirage F.1s from the Spanish? Or is it another one I don't know about, 'cos the only way I can see Argentina ever operating Gripens is when Brazil retire theirs in about 40 years' time.

[Marcantilan]

Ahh, I really like the anti Argentine mood of this part of the forum.

Anyway, South Africa bought Gripens and has a USD 350 billions GDP. Argentina USD 611 billions (both 2013). Argentina clearly could afford the Brazil made Gripens (surely with Argentine parts, as the KC-390)

And, really, I don´t like our current governmnent. So if you want to make jokes about the "presidenta" and her botox, be my guest.

[Heathrow Harry]

Come on lads - get real

They are "starting negotiations" not taking delivery

things like spec, price, dates.... and Embraer aren't building them yet for the Brazilian AF

plus there may be a new Brazilian President in charge soon - and he's no fan of Mrs K

[chopper2004]

Hmmm interesting deal and me being be are theorizing that, the Swedes could also offer them a Saab AirEye for a mini AWACS ?

Did the Spaniards not offer them / give them some of their ex Mirage F.1 recently?

So the air force is modernizing itself after x amount of decades....worrying or not for any sabre rattling over our beloved Falklands?

Mrs K is quite beautiful and I misread HH's statement as I thought Mrs K had a Brazilian :mad::ok::mad::p lol

Cheers

[Heathrow Harry]

you can offer them a whole bunch of things but Argentina is almost broke - they can't maintain whatthey have

by the time they have some decent planes the FI will have the oil money and will be able to field their own airforce - they'll be able to afford just about anything..............................

[CAW]

Oh, God. Grown up people...

Is not clear enough by now that military equipment is not cash-payed in advance? Have you taken a look to the contracts signed when UK sold the Type42 destroyers to the ARA, as a quick example? (By the way, wasn´t that the last time the british naval industry sold a brand new war-ship to anyone in the world?)

So far, what we´ve got here is the confirmation of the interest the argentinean government and air force have on the swedish aircraft, only if it´s manufactured by Embraer. The rest of the terms are yet -if ever- to be discussed.

The 24 planes mentioned, are certainly boosting Embraer´s position regarding the need for the plane to be made in this side of the Atlantic. And that was an item that defined the election of the Gripen by the FAB: that it was manufactured in Brazil.

A third thing that might be missing, is that it looks like swedish could be about to become the second language for the argentinean military. The military relation between the two countries is at an all-times high (which is fair to say, was never that high; yet...)

One last thing, recalculate your thoughts about defaults and vulture-funds-pirrean-victories-in-court:

Argentina Bondholders Unnerved as Kicillof Amasses Power - Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-07/argentina-bondholders-unnerved-as-kicillof-amasses-power.html)

Default? What Default?

El Club de París reconoce que Argentina no está en default - DiarioBae | DiarioBae (http://www.diariobae.com/notas/38257-el-club-de-paris-reconoce-que-argentina-esta-en-default.html)

The ISDA appears to have backed-down its statement of August 1st.

Christian

[The Helpful Stacker]

Is not clear enough by now that military equipment is not cash-payed in advance?

:ugh:

And that my friend is the issue.

Given their credit rating is deep within junk bond territory with all the major agencies who is going to extend a line of credit to Argentina with which to purchase these (or any other) aircraft?

[CAW]

I don´t think that some european or american banks are willing to do so. Neverthless I do not rule the option out. They go after profit like flies go after "left-overs" . If the price is right they´ll play ball. like they´ve always done before.

On the other hand, there are many other sources that you may have not heard of, but are already giving credit to the argentinean government, and I´m talking about US dollars by the houndreds of millions... Repsol, the World Bank, People´s Bank of China, Banco Nacional de Desarrollo Económico y Social (Brazil), Embraer, the Central Bank of Venezuela, among others.

You should not believe everything you read. Credit and loan-givers are not only european or american banks. Money is money everywhere. As long as you have it, all doors seems to open.

Christian

[Just This Once...]

Money is money everywhere. As long as you have it, all doors seems to open.

…and if you do not have it, or have a habit of taking it without paying it back the door tends to hit you on the arse. Words like 'selective default' and CCC- on your credit rating probably hurts more than the door.

[CAW]

I say it again: do you believe that the ones already giving credit to the argentinean government, its institutions and companies do not know all these things you mention? If so, why do they give their money away? is it because they just simply want to loose it all?

Did you know that 6 years ago Embraer managed to give AA U$S 1500 million credit so it could purchase two dozens of its E-jets?

REPSOL got paid? No it did not. It just got bonuses (promises so to say) that quickly sold in the market. Of course "selling" means that someone is "buying". Are those buyers stupid? Do they care about CCC or selective default or Griesa? NO, my friend. They just go after the profit. And that is exactly what the actual situation of Argentina offers to them and quite a few other financial players.

By the way, have you learnt which banks created and act like "agents of payment" of the Argentinean Debts Re-structure Process of 2005 (re-opened in 2010)? Did you read about the final arrengement of last May with something like 15 european countries (including the UK)? For short: Argentina accepted that it´d pay almost U$S 10 billion through a period of 5 years (payments every six months), begging in July 2014. We may try to see what these governments have to say about "Argentina´s Default" "or CCC".

Cheers!!
Christian

[Courtney Mil]

Did you know that 6 years ago Embraer managed to give AA U$S 1500 million credit so it could purchase two dozens of its E-jets?

Mate, how do you think aircrat are usually sold? There is a big difference between lending money to a country in default and a company allowing a customer to offset payments. The company has to do it to sell its products, the country may not have that bargaining power.

[CAW]

That`s exactly the point!!

That`s the way planes are usually sold. And that is how most involved in this Gripen Saga expect things to happen. Both SAAB and Embraer want and need the argentinean intention to become a real purchase.

I just don`t understand why are some mates talking about CFK, botox, default, non existant credit and so on... if everyone knows and understand the financial mechanics that move the arms-market worldwide that`s just non-sense.

Christian

[Neptunus Rex]

KC-390 plus Gripen NG would make a good team!

It is all academic. Given the superior combat radius of the Typhoon vs the Gripen, the KC 390s could be shot down before the Gripens had taken on enough fuel to reach the Falkands, leaving the Argie Gripens feet wet and short of fuel. Or just shoot down the Gripens. Or both.

Gripen combat radius = 432 nm
Typhoon combat radius = 769 nm
Buenos Aires to Stanley = 1,025 nm

Nuff said!

[Lonewolf_50]

On the other hand, there are many other sources that you may have not heard of, but are already giving credit to the argentinean government, and I´m talking about US dollars by the houndreds of millions... Repsol, the World Bank, People´s Bank of China, Banco Nacional de Desarrollo Económico y Social (Brazil), Embraer, the Central Bank of Venezuela, among others.
You beat me to it. The Chinese government, or one of their banks, could underwrite or loan guarantee X percentage of the purchase and thus allow the deal to continue moving. There would of course be strings attached, but aren't there with a lot of arms deals?

[GreenKnight121]

Have you taken a look to the contracts signed when UK sold the Type42 destroyers to the ARA, as a quick example? (By the way, wasn´t that the last time the british naval industry sold a brand new war-ship to anyone in the world?)

A partial list:

Vospor (now BAE) - 2 1,200 ton corvettes for Oman built 1993-1997.

Yarrow (now BAE) - 2 2,300 ton corvettes for Malaysia built from the early 1990s to 1999.

BAE - 3 2,000 ton corvettes for Brunei built from 1995-2004 - Brunei decided to back out of the deal, a court decided BAE had fulfilled all of the contract and Brunei had to accept them, and Brunei put them up for sale - they were purchased by Indonesia.

BAE - 3 2,600 ton corvettes for Oman - last one delivered earlier this year.

BAE - 3 2,200 ton OPV for Trinidad & Tobago from 2007-2013 (T&T backed out, and the vessels were completed for Brazil).

BAE (and its Vospor subsidary) have been overseeing license-building of Vospor/BAE-designed FACs & OPVs in other nations from the early 1980s to present.

[NutLoose]

And let's not forget the diesel subs to the Canadian, I'm surprised they are still talking to us.

Submarines: The Cursed Canadian Boats (http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsub/20140214.aspx)

[MAINJAFAD]

Neptunus Rex

Argentinian Air bases to Mount Pleasant (Stanley not really that important as far the air defence of the Islands go)

Rio Gallegos 452 miles (ish).

Rio Grande 404 miles (ish).

The Gripen would still need tanker support though,

[Dysonsphere]

The Gripen would still need tanker support though, And tankers make nice fat targets.:E

[Lonewolf_50]

And tankers make nice fat targets.:E
So would the Gripen if there isn't a budget for pilot training.

You can buy and operate any number of decent jet fighters, but if your pilots aren't well trained and your operations coordinated with EW and radar, you may simply provide an enemy with target practice at your own considerable expense. (See the Bekka Valley, 1982.)

[Just a spotter]

Quote:
Originally Posted by CAW
Have you taken a look to the contracts signed when UK sold the Type42 destroyers to the ARA, as a quick example? (By the way, wasn´t that the last time the british naval industry sold a brand new war-ship to anyone in the world?)

A partial list:

Vospor (now BAE) - 2 1,200 ton corvettes for Oman built 1993-1997.

Yarrow (now BAE) - 2 2,300 ton corvettes for Malaysia built from the early 1990s to 1999.

BAE - 3 2,000 ton corvettes for Brunei built from 1995-200- Brunei decided to back out of the deal, a court decided BAE had fulfilled all of the contract and Brunei had to accept them, and Brunei put them up for sale - they were purchased by Indonesia.

BAE - 3 2,600 ton corvettes for Oman - last one delivered earlier this year.

BAE - 3 2,200 ton OPV for Trinidad & Tobago from 2007-2013 (T&T backed out, and the vessels were completed for Brazil).

BAE (and its Vospor subsidary) have been overseeing license-building of Vospor/BAE-designed FACs & OPVs in other nations from the early 1980s to present.

Babcock Marine are building 3 1,900 tonne Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV's) for the Irish Naval Service. The first is which, LÉ (Long Éireannach/Irish Ship) Samuel Becket, has been delivered and is in service.

JAS

[CAW]

A partial list:

Vospor (now BAE) - 2 1,200 ton corvettes for Oman built 1993-1997.

Yarrow (now BAE) - 2 2,300 ton corvettes for Malaysia built from the early 1990s to 1999.

BAE - 3 2,000 ton corvettes for Brunei built from 1995-200- Brunei decided to back out of the deal, a court decided BAE had fulfilled all of the contract and Brunei had to accept them, and Brunei put them up for sale - they were purchased by Indonesia.

BAE - 3 2,600 ton corvettes for Oman - last one delivered earlier this year.

BAE - 3 2,200 ton OPV for Trinidad & Tobago from 2007-2013 (T&T backed out, and the vessels were completed for Brazil).

BAE (and its Vospor subsidary) have been overseeing license-building of Vospor/BAE-designed FACs & OPVs in other nations from the early 1980s to present.Guess the british naval industry did sell ships after 1982, after all. :ok: Poor information on my side. Apologies.

Regarding the access to credit by Argentina, here´s some news. Yesterday the government managed to get something like U$S 980 at a 1,75% interest rate a year, over a two year period. The article in an economic argentinean paper:

El Gobierno emitió bono atado al dólar por u$s 983 millones - Ambito.com (http://www.ambito.com/noticia.asp?id=764199)

Christian

[GeeRam]

Quote:
And tankers make nice fat targets.
So would the Gripen if there isn't a budget for pilot training.

You can buy and operate any number of decent jet fighters, but if your pilots aren't well trained and your operations coordinated with EW and radar, you may simply provide an enemy with target practice at your own considerable expense.

As the South Africans found out last year when they couldn't afford to maintain and fly their Gripens and were about to mothball half the fleet.

I believe they have now signed a new long term maintainance contract early this year (I wonder if they've paid for it yet?) with a Saab setup contractor to remedy this situation..??

[TBM-Legend]

Why is the UK scared of the Argies???

You fought the Germans and re-armed them 10 years after the end of that big show...

[GreenKnight121]

But the Germans weren't still trying to take possession of British overseas territories in the 1950s.

Argentina is still pushing its claim to that set of islands that they had fought the UK over 32 years ago.

{thanks for the push of the function-reset button, LTDT}

[Like This - Do That]

over 32 years ago

Fixed it for you GreenKnight! Over 32 years! Crumbs, where do the years go :\

[TBM-Legend]

Well the 13 colonies broke away with the help of some friends like France...:ouch:

[OvertHawk]

I hope they're budgeting for some Hardened Aircraft Shelters too, otherwise pilot training and combat effectiveness will not enter into it should the day ever come... The RN will simply make them go away with some Tomahawks. ;)

[ShotOne]

Re. all the comments on Argentina's dire financial situation, spot on...but the real point is that as well as limiting Argentina's credit options, their financial crisis is the reason for the whole Malvinas pantomime being cranked out again

[Heathrow Harry]

which was exactly how the 1982 business started as well

I'd imagine these days a few sub-launched cruise missiles onto Rio Gallegos airfield (one of the worlds premier s***holes TBH) would stop things dead

and why would the Chinese give export credits for Swedish Aircraft built in Brazil?????/

[The Helpful Stacker]

...and why would the Chinese give export credits for Swedish Aircraft built in Brazil?????

Why does natural resources hungry China usually make actual and empty gestures of support to tin pot countries various, that may have actual or potential access to reserves of said natural resources?

Sounds like the plot for a work of fiction...

[chopper2004]

Nope, but the Argentinians are producing under license the Changhe Z-11 (Squirrel lookalike) helo and the Z-11 was flown and demo'd to the Argentine Army Aviation few years ago :)

El nuevo helicóptero de Argentina CZ-11 calienta motores - Taringa! (http://www.taringa.net/posts/info/15745863/El-nuevo-helicoptero-de-Argentina-CZ-11-calienta-motores.html)

Cheers

[LowObservable]

HAS? We don' need no stinkin' HAS...

http://www.saabgroup.com/Global/Documents%20and%20Images/Air/Gripen/Gripen%20for%20Switzerland/The%20Gripen%20Solution/Background_Gripen_taxing.jpg

Seriously, everyone's got to know that this ain't gonna happen until the Malvinas thing goes away, and I suspect that the professionals involved all want it to.

[XR219]

Gripen combat radius = 432 nm
Typhoon combat radius = 769 nm
Buenos Aires to Stanley = 1,025 nm

Hmmm, are you sure that's for the Gripen E? Saab reckon it should have a combat radius (in a CAP fit) of 700nm...

Gripen for Brazil - The Fighter (http://www.saabgroup.com/en/Air/Gripen-Fighter-System/Gripen-for-Brazil/The-Fighter-Gripen-NG/)

[Heathrow Harry]

Rio Gallegos - FI ~560kms to nearest point

[Charly84]

Hi guys. New in this forum.

Just to clarify some things about this subject.

Argentina signed a letter of intention. Simple as that. No $$$ on the table like the brazilians did a few days ago.

And we must consider that this administration is in it's way out (hopefully), so the possible purchase of the Gripen would be solved (go - no go) by the next government. (IMO it will be cancelled due to the actual economic restraints - a lot of time and effort will be needed to solve them)

Regards.

Charly

Ps: Mi english it's a little bit rusty. My apologies.

[ORAC]

Argentina Buying Gripens? Brits Say 'No Way' (http://www.defensenews.com/article/20141108/DEFREG05/311080014/Argentina-Buying-Gripens-Brits-Say-No-Way-)

LONDON — Argentina’s Defense Minister Agustin Rossi surprised just about everybody when he announced on Oct. 21 that his government intended to buy 24 Saab Gripen E fighters to re-equip his nation’s ancient Air Force.

But Rossi’s request appeared to ignore a likely insurmountable hurdle to the sale: Britain, its longtime foe, has a near veto on the export of the combat jet as a result of the substantial number of UK systems in the jet. More than 30 percent of the new version of the Gripen being developed by Saab is supplied by British industry.

Selex ES’ key active electronically scanned array radar, landing gear, ejection seat, electronic system and other sub-systems would all be hit by a British block on military exports to Argentina.

British business secretary Vince Cable invoked the ban on the sale of all military and dual-use technology for use by Argentina in 2012. That export license is still in place and will likely remain given the impasse between the two nations over resolving the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

“We are determined to ensure that no British-licensable exports or trade have the potential to be used by Argentina to impose an economic blockade on the Falkland Islanders or inhibit their legitimate rights to develop their own economy,” said a spokesperson for the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Argentinean defense minister made the purchase of the aircraft dependent on his country participating in the Gripen E program signed by Saab and the Brazilian government, which will see South America’s biggest nation buy at least 36 fighters.

The deal involves an assembly line set up by Embraer in Brazil, joint development of a two-seat version of the Gripen and an export drive to other South American air forces.

Ironically, the UK government supported the Gripen sale to Brazil due to the high level of British material in the aircraft.

Doug Barrie, the senior air analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London said that while it would be feasible to replace UK systems on the Gripen, the practicalities are something different.

“Argentina is not flush with money, and the reality is that replacing such key systems as the UK supplies would come with significantly high requalification costs,” he said.

Sources with knowledge of the South American fighter market said Saab has been approached several times over the past few years by the Argentineans over a possible Gripen deal only to be quietly rebuffed by the Swedish company.

A Saab spokesman said the company noted the reports of discussions on Gripen between Brazil and Argentina, but did not have any further information.

“Brazil will become a close partner in the Gripen development and production program. However, all exports of Gripen will continue to be subject to the current, very stringent export regulations,” he said. “In terms of UK equipment on the aircraft, there is no request to change any of this equipment and no plan to do so.”

Rossi’s announcement during a roll-out ceremony of Embraer’s KC-390 airlifter in Brazil caused alarm in Britain, which is in a long-running dispute with Argentina over who owns the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls the Malivinas Islands.

The issue came up in the UK Parliament last week and the House of Commons defense committee tried to quiz armed forces chiefs on Nov. 5 about the implications for the defense of the islands from a Gripen sale to Argentina.

Argentina invaded the Falkands in 1982, sparking a war with the British. That has resulted in an enduring and costly UK military presence of fighter jets, warships and troops being stationed on the islands since Argentina was defeated.

The dispute has been revived in recent years by Argentinean President Cristina Kirchener, who has made reclaiming the islands a central plank of her policy.

Argentina has been trying to replace the aging fleet of Dassault combat aircraft for some time. Most recently, second-hand Spanish Air Force Mirage F1s were being considered, but that deal has yet to materialize. hasn’t yet come to anything.

Few people are expecting a discussion on Gripen to come to anything, either given Britain’s stance on military export and Argentina’s economic woes. But even if it doesn’t, the issue has raised awareness in Britain of how the military position could change in that part of the world if Argentina was re-equiped with more modern jets and missiles.

Francis Tuser, the editor of Defence Analysis here, said the Gripen issue highlighted that if a deal of this nature went ahead, it would “dramatically and dangerously” change Britain’s situation on the Falklands.

“Although there is a decade-long timeline on this event, it has the capability to change at a stroke, the balance of power in the South Atlantic, and would cause a major change to the UK’s defense posture there,” he said. “If it isn’t addressed in the 2015 strategic defense and security review, then it will have to be addressed as a priority, but that might be too late or at least very expensive.”

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

so SAAB don't get this sale, but the British reaction should help their marketing for other sales I should think. Nice little aeroplane.