A Saab presented the new facilities for Gripen's radar maintenance and electronic warfare laboratory at its plant in São Bernardo do Campo (SP). The site is also responsible for producing the fighter's aerostructures.
The laboratory has 600 m² and complies with the technical requirements necessary for this operation, explains the manufacturer.
In addition, the company also introduced Fabricio Saito as the new general director of the facilities in ABC Paulista.
“It is a great pleasure to be at the head of a plant that plays such an important role in the production and maintenance of the Gripen in Brazil. The installation has highly qualified professionals, which is the result of the largest technology transfer in progress in our country”, said the new director.
“The new laboratory will ensure the ability to Gripen throughout its life cycle in Brazil for the next 30 or 40 years.”
The laboratory will start operating in 2022 and the next stage will be the assembly of the test bench, used to generate and measure electronic signals. The team responsible for maintaining the radars is made up of Brazilian technicians and engineers already enrolled in training programs in Sweden.
In parallel, the production of aerostructures continues. Currently, the factory in São Bernardo do Campo has the five aerostructures of the Gripen E (tail cone, wing casket, aerodynamic brakes, front and rear fuselage) in different stages of production and delivery.
New director formed by ITA
Fabricio Saito has a 30-year career as an engineer and technical director of Maintenance at FAB and has been with Saab for four years. With a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from ITA (Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica) and a Master's Degree in Logistics Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), in the United States, he has an MBA in Strategic Business Management, he is the right person to take responsibility for new director general in São Bernardo do Campo.
“We are certain that Saito will do an excellent job at the helm of the Saab unit in São Bernardo do Campo. He has demonstrated unrivaled dedication and excellent technical and managerial skills,” said Niclas Kolmodin, head of the Gripen business unit in Saab's Aeronautics business area in Sweden.
Talking about the new lab, Niclas says that “This is an important capacity to be installed in Brazil, and is in line with Saab's global strategy of developing business locally”
