Saab is positioning itself as an early contender to meet the Philippine Air Force's (PAF's) anticipated requirement to procure a multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) platform.
The Swedish group displayed its JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft at the inaugural Asian Defence, Security & Crisis Management (ADAS) exhibition held in Manila in mid-July.
Mikael Olsson, executive vice president, Saab Asia Pacific, told IHS Jane's on 31 July that although the PAF has not yet formerly announced the MRCA programme, Saab is ready to meet the requirement with the Gripen aircraft and help the PAF maximise the benefits of operating the multirole fighter.
(Jane's)
Unless the US offered some mothballed F16s at bargain prices for the Philippines (unlikely, given the US paranoia of technology leak and Philippines almost non-existence counterintelligence protection), Sweden's surplus Gripens will be the most likely choice for PAF's, given the Philippines financial woes. However, in the event that Gripen is selected, Saab can probably kiss the lucrative Malaysian MRCA deal goodbye, as Malaysia has an 'eccentric' tendency to want to be different from its neighbors...
BalasHapus