By Reuters. Wednesday October 19, 2005. 5.15pm

Defence group Saab said on Wednesday a previously announced order from Pakistan for an airborne surveillance system was worth more than 8bn crowns ($1bn), with Ericsson having one third of it.

Saab announced the order on Tuesday and its shares closed 3.28 per cent higher at 141.50 crowns on Wednesday although the wider market was down.

“Important conditions remain to be settled before the contract becomes effective,” Saab said in its latest statement.

“Because of speculation about the order value we would like to make clear that the contract value is 8.3bn crowns, with two thirds for Saab and one third for Ericsson Microwave Systems,” it added.

The system includes Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft equipped with airborne radar from Ericsson.

Source: FT.COM

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Saab, LM Ericsson Close to Completing Deal to Supply Airborne Radar System to Pakistan

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -- Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab AB and telecom firm LM Ericsson are close to completing a 8.3 million kronor (euro880,000; US$1.1 billion) deal to supply an airborne radar system to Pakistan, a Saab spokesman said Wednesday.

Two-thirds of the amount would go to Saab and one-third to Ericsson, Saab said in statement.

The system includes Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft equipped with Ericsson Microwave Systems airborne radars.

"We have a deal with Pakistan," Saab spokesman Peter Larsson said, adding a few details remained before the final contract could be signed.

The air surveillance system can be used for both military and civilian purposes, Larsson said. For example, it could help coordinate relief flights after natural disasters, such as the earthquake that killed tens of thousands in Kashmir, Larsson said.

It would take a few years before the system can be in place, he said.

Source: Yahoo Finance

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What happened to the offer of "BIG BROTHER" 's E-2s?

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Salam to All .....Raza

Thank amount seems pretty big....how many planes will they be getting ?

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THe amount of 1.1 Billion US$ is incorrect.Because one US$ is about 8 swedish krona .So calculate 8,3 million krona~(apprx)1million Us$ and not as stated 1.1 billion USD$

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Salam to All .....Raza

Talk about priorities.

The government cannot dish out $100 million for the fokker replacement, but has a $1 billion for turboprop AWACS.

The $100 million fokker replacement would have served millions of people over a period of 25 years, who do these AWACS serve???

With Pakistan and India slowly heading towards long lasting peace, does Pakistan really "need" such expensive defence equipment.

I think its high time the armed forces of Pakistan consider the needs of the people they are suppose to defend, and stop asking the people to sacrafice their future in return of weapons which hopefully will never be used.

Maybe this $1 billion dollars can be spent on the re-construction of the Azad Kashmir, as the approx amount needed to re-build this devastated region is around $5 billion.

We can start with roads, hospitals, schools and homes.

After all the best defense is a dedicated population ready to die for thier country, not a population living in tents with no hope & future.

Amaad Lone

BTW does it mean PIA is also going to get Saab 2000s as Fokker replacement?

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I really hope not. I really hope that the opt for the ATR or Bombardier's Dash series. They have been saying that they do intend to purchase ATR, but with PIAs history of changing their minds I am really not sure.

Amaad, you have not read my calculation. the billion $ figure is wrong it should be about one million US$

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Wasn't this deal suppose to go 50-50? half the planes for PIA and the half for PAF?

No PIA should NOT get any state aid at all. They have had 50 years to come up with a competitive, self-sustaining business model and have so utterly failed at it.

If they want to buy Fokker replacements, they should do what every other business does, write an RFP, go to the banks or the capital market and raise their on resources for this investment. Spoon feeding won't help.



I agree with this point.