Sweden offers Gripen to Croatia

LINKOPING, Sweden, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- The Swedish Defense and Security Export Agency FXM has offered to sell Gripen jet fighters Croatia.

Saab, manufacturer of the Gripen, said the offer to sell either eight or 12 of the latest of the Gripen C/D fighters includes a support and training agreement for pilots and technicians.

To ensure that the Croatian air force remains operative without interruption when its current MiG-21s are decommissioned, Sweden is initially offering a loan of older Gripen-A aircraft until the delivery of the Gripen C/Ds.

Linked to a possible Croatian acquisition of Gripen fighters, Saab offers an industrial cooperation package.

"Saab has an excellent track record of delivering on our promises in Czech Republic, Hungary and South Africa," said Pierre Gauffin, marketing director, Gripen Croatia, Saab.

"We offer Croatia industrial cooperation programs designed to create and sustain high-tech jobs, delivering investment and generating sustainable export growth, thus generating means to finance the acquisition of a new fighter system."

Gripen is in operational service with the Swedish, Czech Republic, Hungarian, South African and Thai air forces.

The British Empire Test Pilots' School is also operating Gripen as its advanced fast jet platform for test pilots worldwide.