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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 0045.PDF
HKBB ffilt Scandinavian aerospace D espite its neutral stance, Sweden has one of the most potent defence forces in the world, and the new JAS 39 Gripen combat aircraft is symbolic of its determination to preserve that strength through self-sufficiency. Offi cially, there is no enemy, but all eyes look Eastwards. Neutrality precludes Sweden from join ing any defence alliance, and the nation is acutely aware of its vulnerability. Flight estimates that up to one-eighth of Sweden's population is involved in de fence, and last year's incidents involving Soviet submarines in Sweden's inshore waters indicate that its fears may not be groundless. Norway holds the vital northern flank of Nato. Its armaments industry, which began early in the last century, has div ersified into other markets, and it lacks the all-round aerospace design and manu facturing capability of Sweden. It has, however, demonstrated the ability to licence-build a remarkable variety of air frame, engine, and avionics components for F-16s and other Nato programmes, as well as producing its own anti-ship mis siles, complete with Norwegian inertial navigation systems. Finnish defence policy, predicated upon treaties signed after the Second World War, is simply to prevent its territory be ing used by one power as a stepping-stone for attacking another. Finland is limited by treaty to 60 combat aircraft—MiG-21s and Drakens—and is buying 50 Hawk trainers, most of them assembled in Finland. Finland has only modest potential for the export of armaments, but the Swedish defence industry is much larger and poses some ethical problems for the nation's pol iticians. The relatively small Swedish do mestic market is insufficient to support most companies' defence activities, but neutrality demands that it be illegal to ex port armaments. Fortunately for the in dustry, the Government grants specific The Scandinavian aerospace industry is moulded essentially by regional geography, and the consequent political pres sures which that imposes. Richard Whitaker and Peter Middleton report. dispensations. Absolute bans apply to countries which have poor human rights records, or where external conflict or in ternal unrest exists or is likely to exist. Thus Nato, Western Europe, and much of the Far East are fine, but the Middle East and South America are almost impossible. Britain went on to the "red" list during the Falklands War. The type of military material under consideration is also important—some nations are allowed to receive innocuous or purely defensive hardware but not weapons. Companies such as Bofors, FFV, and LM Ericsson do sell overseas, but limits are imposed. A logical step is to turn to the civil mar ket, and Saab-Scania is about to begin flight-testing the fruits of its transatlantic Although Sweden's aerospace industry is domi nated by defence, the Saab-Fairchild SF.340 rep resents the nation's aspiration to enter the civil marketplace. A SKr350 million (£33 million) Government loan is involved regional airliner partnership. As well as the SF.340, the companv also works on the BAe 146 and DC-9 Super 80. It may be come a major subcontractor in future jet airliner programmes. The largest single project for the rest of the century, however, will remain the Gripen combat aircraft—which is to re place all five versions of the Viggen—plus a new air-defence command, control, and information system. Current estimates put the cost of 140 Gripen aircraft at more than SKr25,000 million (£2,000 million), and inflation, coupled with last year's de valuation of the Swedish Krone, is likely to increase this figure. This year sees some re-organisations in Sweden's aerospace industry. Saab-Scania is merging its missiles, space, sighting, and gyroscope businesses into a "high- technology group" which has yet to be named. This will function separately from the aircraft group, which will retain the SF.340 and Gripen programmes. SRA Communications became a wholly owned subsidiary of LM Ericsson on January 1, after Marconi's 29 per cent share was transferred, and the Defence Electronics division of Ericsson will be merged into SRA under a new name. Turning to broader horizons, Scan dinavia's long distances and rugged ter rain make it a classic region for satellite communications and direct-broadcast TV. Sweden is leading Scandinavia's space ac tivity, but Norway and Finland are close to agreement on participation in the Tele X satellite, due to be launched in 1986. Its successor, Nordsat, could also link Denmark and Iceland to the other Scan dinavian nations—making it a valuable tool for cementing Nordic cultural and business relationships. FLIGHT International, 8 January 1983 61
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