Saab Invests £50M in UK Future Combat Air System Facility

Saab is to create a new Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS) centre in the United Kingdom as a hub for its participation in the FCAS programme.

Saab is investing initially £50 million in the facility, Saab said in a statement.

The U.K. and Sweden had signed a MoU on FCAS co-operation in July 2019. Saab is leading Sweden’s FCAS industrial participation in close co-operation with Sweden’s Ministry of Defence.

“Combat Air is a key component of Sweden’s defence policy and it is defined as a national security interest. Saab’s FCAS strategy ensures that the technology is in place to support a long term future air capability and also to support continuous upgrades of Gripen E for decades to come,” says Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.

“Saab took the decision to create a new FCAS centre so that we can further develop the close working relationship with the other FCAS industrial partners and the UK Ministry of Defence. This emphasises the importance of both FCAS and the United Kingdom to Saab’s future,” says Micael Johansson.

The location of Saab’s FCAS centre is currently being considered. The centre forms part of Saab’s long term plans for the U.K. market to develop indigenous capabilities, invest in research and development and grow intellectual property.

Leading up to the MoU 2019 UK-Sweden MoU, Saab has worked with British industry partners, BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA and Rolls Royce on a feasibility study on future combat air systems (FCAS), which concluded that identified synergies between the companies would provide a solid foundation for the further development of the required industrial and technology base.

Saab will contribute with its experience of advanced technology development, system integration of complete combat air systems and related areas including sensors, missile systems and support.