[Ricardo Nunes]

2004-10-20 10:00Maiden flight of first Czech GripenMonday

October 18 saw the take-off of the first Gripen fighter ordered for export. The aircraft, which will be delivered to the Czech Republic, was marked with Czech colors.
“This maiden flight marks an important milestone for Gripen on the export market. Today's flight demonstrates that Saab is world leading when it comesto developing modern fighters and that we will stay in that position for a longtime", says Johan Lehander, head of Gripen operations at Saab Aerosystems.

The Czech Air Force will be the first NATO country to operate Gripen, one of the world's most modern, fourth generation fighter aircraft. The fighters will be delivered by FMV to the Czech Republic from April 2005.

Gripen was up for 1 hour and 25 minutes and was flown by Mats Thorbiörnson, one of Saab's test pilots. Following today's maiden flight there will be a period of further air and ground tests to verify that the systems are working in line with the Czech specifications.
The fighter that made the historical flight is the first of 14 aircraft that the Swedish state (FMV) is leasing to the Czech armed forces.

The contract also includes training. Since August, the first Czech pilots have been re-training for the Gripen systems at the F7 Swedish Air Force base in Såtenäs, western central Sweden. Approximately 40 engineers are also being trained in Gripen systems at the Armed Forces Halmstad Schools (FMHS) on the south-west coast

[dremanu]

Que lindo avião!

[[PT]HKFlash]

Ainda agora entraram para a UE e já estão a comprar material militar.  

[Ricardo Nunes]

Por acaso os JAS-39C checos estão a "leasing". Os Húngaros pelo contrário adquiriram mesmo as suas aeronaves.

[JLRC]

Celebration of the First Czech Republic Gripen Aircraft  
 
 
(Source: Gripen International; issued Nov. 26, 2004)
 
 
 At a ceremony today at Saab’s factory in Linköping the first Czech Republic Gripen aircraft was unveiled to the public for the first time. The ceremony was held to celebrate the completion of the production phase of Czech Republic Gripen aircraft.  
 
The production program has been completed with the integration of Czech specific software and will continue with flight trials which will be conducted at Saab and at the test centre of FMV. The flight test program will continue until the aircraft is delivered to the Czech Republic.  
 
“The completion of the Czech Republic Gripen aircraft production phase and the commencement of the test flight program is yet another important milestone in the Gripen program for the Czech Republic”, says Per Nilsson FMV’s Program Manager for the Czech Republic Program.  
 
The first Czech Gripen aircraft made its maiden flight on 18 October 2004 and Czech pilots will start flying their Gripen’s at the beginning of 2005.  
 
The first Gripen fighter will be delivered to the Czech Republic in April 2005 and deliveries will be completed in August 2005. In total, the Czech Republic will lease 14 Gripen fighter aircraft (12 single seat and 2 dual seat) for a period of 10 years, between 2005 and 2015.  
 
The Czech Republic will be the first NATO country to operate the fourth generation Gripen fighter, and will be taking delivery of the latest C and D versions of the aircraft. These aircraft are the latest standard of the Gripen fighter, equipped with full color cockpit displays, a retractable air-to-air refueling probe and are fully NATO-interoperable.  
 
-ends-

[Ricardo Nunes]

Por acaso os JAS-39C checos estão a "leasing". Os Húngaros pelo contrário adquiriram mesmo as suas aeronaves.

Auto-correcção: os húngaros também estão a usufruir de um sistema de empréstimo.