Saab has placed an order with the largest Czech aerospace company, AERO Vodochody (Aero) for the production of NATO pylons for the Gripen aircraft system.

Transfer of production will commence at the Aero facilities at Vodochody in the Czech Republic in autumn this year.

Saab has also recently signed a joint working agreement with Aero establishing a mutual cooperation concerning marketing and sales of the L-159 Combat and Training System. The agreement was also to identify manufacturing work packages (MWP) between Saab and Aero.

"We highly value the continuation of cooperation with Saab, recently confirmed within our military program by support of the L-159 Programme and today joining the Gripen project. Our aim is to gradually strengthen our position on the aerostructures market, reaching interesting orders, both in military and civil aviation technology. We are extremely pleased to receive this order from Saab, extending our portfolio of customers within our aerostructures program," says Igor Hulak, President of Aero.

"Aero Vodochody is an important partner for our Gripen offset programme in the Czech Republic. This order for production of NATO pylons demonstrates the close collaboration we have with Aero Vodochody. We are very pleased with our cooperation", says Gripen Program Director for the Czech Republic, Bengt Littke