Saab Wins Service Life Extension Contract For RBS 97 Missile System

Saab has won a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for a service life extension of the RBS 97 air defence missile system.

The RBS 97 (Hawk) is a surface-to-air missile system that is part of Sweden’s national defences. It is capable of shooting down high-flying targets, in all weather conditions, at a range of up to 40 km.

The service life extension will implement new capabilities for the system, making it better able to counter current and future airborne threats, the company announced today.

The work will include upgrades to hardware and software across all system components such as the high power illuminating radar, missile launcher and combat command unit.

This new order, combined with other existing, similar business, will require Saab’s Växjö facility to recruit more staff with the relevant hardware and software engineering expertise. The possibility of transferring personnel from Sweden’s Air Defence Regiment for a limited time is also being explored, within the cooperative framework for skills development that exists between Saab and the Swedish armed forces.

"This order provides Saab with an opportunity to expand and puts us in a good position to support the customer when the time comes to replace the RBS 97 missile system," says Joakim Haux, head of Weaponry Services, business unit Land within Saab´s business area Support and Services.

The service life extension will be conducted on a staged basis from now until 2019. Saab will undertake the majority of the work in Växjö, but also in Halmstad and Järfälla.