Saab opens US facility to aid Boeing contract

The Boeing-Saab team is producing an advanced trainer for the U.S. Air Force, with Saab providing the aft section, which is currently manufactured in Sweden before being shipped to the U.S.

Saab has opened a new 100,000 sq ft production facility in West Lafayette, Indiana. Less than 300 miles will now separate Boeing from its T-7A teammate.

The Boeing-Saab team is currently producing an advanced trainer for the U.S. Air Force, with Saab providing the aft section and Boeing the forward fuselage. Currently the aft section is built at Saab's factory in Linkoping, Sweden and is then shipped to the United States.

The T-7A Red Hawk went from concept to first flight in just 36 months using advanced model-based engineering and digital design techniques. Boeing says the connection of digital information through product design, manufacturing and inspection, used throughout the program accounted for a 75% improvement in engineering quality.

“I'm inspired by the Boeing-Saab team's accomplishments with the T-7A Red Hawk, bringing together the best of digital design and production innovation to build this incredible trainer,” says Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “Our modern T-7A Red Hawk production lines are enabling us to deliver the most digitally advanced, simply and efficiently produced. With intelligently supported solutions to our customers, and we're honoured to team with Saab to make this.”

In September 2018, the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a $9.2 billion contract to supply 351 advanced trainer aircraft and 46 associated ground based training simulators.