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Political Economy
The French business daily, Les Echos reproduced the entire report from the Swiss on its website here
Gripen: the evaluation report of the Swiss Air Force
In early December, Bern had preferred the Gripen over the Rafale Eurofighter, BAE trio-EADS-Finmeccanica.
But no sooner was the decision announced has the local press unearthed first extracts from reports of the Air Force, then last weekend, the entire reports, showing that Swedish device failed the tests. See below.
Swiss evaluation of Gripen showed flaws that were hidden but unearth only when the Swiss choose Gripen
Tuesday, 14 February 2012Swedish fighter jet, the Gripen is being sought to be sold in Switzerland. Bedsides the pressure from France, the other competitor for the contract which would rather theirs, Rafale be chosen over the Swedish flagship jet fighter, it has emerged that only after the Swiss government has decided on placing an order for the Gripen has there emerged news that Gripen had flaws in initial testing.
The question now is was someone pushed or did the information just fell from somewhere? The most controversy and cloud surrounding the whole biding affair is that it is the French who are really trumpeting and dramatizing the issue that will add more pressures on the swiss authority to change their mind in favour of the French.
The core of the argument is that information emerged that the Swedish Gripen did not pass a test thereby reducing its passing points by one point. This means that the overall point which was supposed to be six, the Swedish product scored just 5 points.
The that result was hidden in someone’s drawer in the Swiss Air Force’s office desk far away from the media until it was leaked recently.
For the manufacturer Saab, it has remained silent on the criticism, but this has not yet killed negotiation with Switzerland on their original big order for the gripen.
"Obviously, we have seen that report which is out and has noted it. I can say that the Swiss decision to proceed with Saab and Gripen is still made by the government and that covered many aspects, "says Marie Karlsson, press officer at Saab.
But the report from 2009, carried out by the Swiss Air Force departed from the aviation inspection evaluation made on the Gripen and the other competing fighter jets, including the French Rafale, carried out in 2008.
According to reports from the Swedish Daily, Dagens Industri, Reuters refers to Sunday’s web edition of the paper Sonntagszeitung for the information and also point out that the jet fighter, Gripen did not reach the minimum requirements in the six areas tested.
The view is that in the overall core sections tested, the Gripen’s central area scored 5.33 on a scale of 10. This happens while the Eurofighter and Rafale scored 6.48 6.98 respectively. The minimum requirement according to reports was 6 on a scale of 10.
So the question which remain unanswered is why did the Swiss choose the Gripen which is of inferior quality to the French and others which are better quality and why was the report not published as soon as the findings where finalised. Cynically, are the French forcing the Swiss authority to see that the Swedish product, which is already properly being used in 5 countries of the world poorer in quality than the French jet that is not being used by anybody but which was recently dumped in India.
The media noted that the Swiss defense minister during the press conference held in November on the Gripen decision said that the aircraft met all the country's military requirements.
Saab's representatives would not go into the report. But Maria Karlsson says that the evaluation was made at an early stage and that Switzerland chose to proceed with the Gripen. Of course Gripen has been tried and tested in 5 different countries and those countries have not abandoned Gripen for anything better, they are happy with Gripen so why all the fuse from the French.
Saab has certainly been given the green light from Switzerland on the selection of Gripen over its competitors. But more work is being negotiated, including the price.
It is not clear as to how this information has affected the negotiations with Switzerland as the Saab spokes person could not comment on negotiations and the process. “But we have a good dialogue. They have covered many aspects that reflect the interest of a fighter jet buyer, "said Marie Karlsson.
Saab's representative is quoted in the Swiss media that he is willing to bargain. However this is something Marie Karlsson could just add that “we are in negotiations and there are very many aspects of what will be part of a total package. These include price, infrastructure and production itself, "said Marie Karlsson.
It has recently been claims that Brazil has chosen to buy from the French Rafale and Gripen is once more snubbed. For that, Marie Karlsson said " its information that we have only seen in the media. We have not received any indication that anything has been finished in Brazil. We feel we have a good offer. The process continues as it has been done."
Even in the French media, which closely monitors the French hunting for the sale of its aircraft, the Rafales, and also position in various contracts, concludes that the Swedish competitor has not fully succeeded in the tests.
By Scancomark.se Team
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