THE FINAL PART of a major restructuring of Saab's aircraft units is in place, with the announcement that turboprop manufacturer Saab Aircraft is to be divided in two.
Saab Aircraft will remain as an independent subsidiary of Saab, but will focus only on sales, marketing and product support. The production side of the company will become a division of Saab, alongside the four military divisions, covering the Gripen fighter, research and development, older aircraft types and joint programmes (Flight International, 25 September-1 October).
Saab Aircraft President Hans Krüger is transferred to the military side to head the Gripen unit alongside Johan Lehander.
Henrik Schröder, current head of Saab Aircraft's US division, will become head of Saab Aircraft, while the civil-production unit will be headed by Mikael Grodzinsky, who is being transferred from military production to assume the civil-production post.
The changes will come into effect on 1 January 1997.
Source: Flight International