Saab inaugurates new development centre in Finland

Defence and security company Saab is expanding its activities in Finland having established a new development centre – the Saab Technology Centre (STC) – in Tampere, Finland.

For the first stage, Saab has established a unit at the STC with a focus on Electronic Warfare (EW). The unit contributes to deliveries for Saab's current EW contracts for fighter aircraft, including Gripen E/F, the EW system for Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft, and the Electronic Support Measures/Electronic Intelligence systems (ESM/ELINT) used for land applications.

During 2017, Saab recruited a number of engineers and invested in the establishment of the STC in Tampere, including a development laboratory. The recruitment and investment will continue in 2018.

"Finland is a high-tech country and an important partner for Saab. The long-term goal is that STC in Tampere will be an integral part of Saab's product development and production," says Hakan Buskhe, Saab's President and CEO.

"In February 2017, we established a comprehensive and long-term research partnership with Aalto University. As a natural continuation, we are now expanding the envelope from research to development of cutting-edge technology. In addition to job creation, this will also support export opportunities as part of Saab's global business network," says Anders Gardberg, Managing Director of Saab's country unit Finland.

The Saab Technology Centre concept is able to expand into other fields of activity and locations. Saab and its subsidiary Combitech Oy currently employ close to 100 employees in Finland, with offices in Helsinki, Espoo, Jyvaskyla, Tampere and Sakyla.