# Saab awarded maintenance support contract for SAAF Gripen fleet

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2022/09/saab-awarded-maintenance-support-contract-for-saaf-gripen-fleet/
- Published: 2022-09-20T23:27:09+01:00
- Author: Ekene Lionel

Saab has received a support contract valued at $31 million for the service, repairs
and maintenance of the South African Air Force´s Gripen C/D jet fighters. The order
value is $31 million over a three-year period.

Original equipment manufacturer Saab was awarded a service and maintenance support
contract for the fleet that will run for three years from 2022 until 2025 and covers
service, repairs and maintenance as well as minor updates of the support and training
systems of the South African Air Forces Gripen system. The contract is worth R532
million over a three-year period, Saab announced.

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“I am very happy and satisfied that we have now reached an agreement for a new support
contract so that we in the very best way can support our customers with their operational
needs,” said Åsa Schöllin, head of Saab’s business unit Gripen Sustainment.

> [SAAF grounds Gripen fleet](https://www.military.africa/2021/12/saaf-grounds-gripen-fleet/)

South Africa has been operating Gripen C/D since 2008 and is Saab´s first export
customer on Gripen. The SAAF grounded the Gripen fleet in September 2021 due to 
budget constraints amid a delay in finalising a new maintenance support contract
with Saab and GKN as the original airframe and engine manufacturers.

For years, the SANDF has been grappling with severe budget cuts which have been 
negatively impacting its operational efficiency. The air force has been unable to
keep entire Hawk and Gripen fleets flying and opted to [place half of the Gripen fleet in ‘rotational storage](https://www.military.africa/2021/12/saaf-grounds-gripen-fleet/military.africa/2017/06/south-africa-brings-more-gripens-out-of-storage-chase-rhino-poachers)’
in WaterKloof Air Force base.

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At the time, the DoD Head of Communication Siphiwe Dlamini explained that after 
a lengthy discussion between the South African Air Force (SAAF), Armscor and Saab
on the contract concerning the Gripen, the discussions took longer than expected
as a result.

The new support contract will make 13 aircraft airworthy again, for over three years–
the SAAF had 26 Gripen C/Ds, but one was written off following a ground incident.
The remaining 12 will remain in storage.

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In 2017, it became known that the South African Air Force (SAAF) has no support 
contract with Saab to maintain its fleet of Gripen fighter jets as previous support
contracts have expired.

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