At the latest Offset Committee meeting, the Hungarian Ministry of Economy and Transport approved Gripen’s latest offset claim. According to the decision, the offset value approved is worth 342 MSEK (36 MEUR). Of this amount, the export value equates to 74 MSEK and the investments value to 268 MSEK. The current status of the Hungarian Gripen Program now shows that over 62% of the total obligation has been fulfilled, making a total value of 4604 MSEK (488 MEUR) for the offset activity performed by Gripen International in Hungary since December 2001.
The Gripen Offset program continues full speed ahead and is currently expanding into new industry sectors, such as the wood industry and the glass sector, involving Hungarian small medium enterprises (SME) generating further net export value and investments for the Hungarian economy.
– The Gripen team has been working in Hungary since the early 1990s. In December 1995, a pre-offset contract was signed with the Ministry of Economy and Transport, meaning we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our involvement in Hungary. This pre- offset contract generated a total value of 876 MUSD.
“Our industrial cooperation success mirrors this long term commitment that we have in Hungary, and I am confident that we will fulfil all of our offset obligations successfully, says Johan Lehander, Managing Director of Gripen International.
– We clearly prove that industrial cooperation is a true benefit to the Hungarian economy, creating business opportunities and real jobs. At the end of the aircraft agreement Gripen will have generated offset to the value of 110% on the contract value”.
Notes to editors:
Hungarian background: Ever since the early 1990s, when Saab AB (and later Gripen International) began promoting Gripen to the Government of Hungary, offset and industrial co-operation have been important items on the agenda. When the first contract between Hungary (MoD) and Sweden (FMV) was signed in 2001, covering the lease of 14 Gripen aircraft, an associated Offset Agreement was concluded between Gripen International and the Government of Hungary, under which Gripen International assumed a commitment to undertake certain activities to offset the aircraft contract. Through the offset program, Gripen International is dedicated to stimulating employment and economic growth, generating investments, export growth and building sustainable business in Hungary.
Gripen is the first of the new generation, multi-role combat aircraft to enter service. Using the latest available technology it is capable of performing an extensive range of air-to-air and air-to-surface operational missions and employing the latest weapons. Gripen is designed to meet the demands of current and future threats, while at the same time meeting strict requirements for flight safety, reliability, training efficiency and low operating costs. Gripen is in service with the Swedish and Czech Republic Air Forces and has also been ordered by the South African and Hungarian Air Forces. The UK Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) is operating Gripen as its advanced fast jet platform for test pilots worldwide.
Gripen International is the Swedish company which acts as a prime contracting organization, responsible for marketing, selling and supporting the Gripen fighter worldwide. Gripen International combines the strength of its international industrial partners, which are among the world's most experienced and respected manufacturers of aerospace and defense equipment. www.gripen.com
For further information please contact:
Anne Lewis-Olsson, Communications Director Hungary, Gripen International
Mobile: +46 734 1813 55
Email: anne.olsson@gripen.com
Virág Vinczeffy, Group Account Director Mmd Public Relations Hungary
Tel: (+36 1) 266 7833
virag.vinczeffy@mmdcee.com
www.mmdcee.com
