South African Gripen deliveries on track

South Africa has taken delivery of its third and fourth Gripen multi-role fighter aircraft, which arrived in Cape Town this week.

South African Gripen SA04 now delivered to customer.
Photographer: Gunnar Åkerberg 

8/15/2008 | South Africa has ordered 26 Gripen aircraft from a Saab-BAE Systems consortium as part of its 1999 Strategic Defence Procurement programme.

These modern Gripen C/D fighters are replacing the South African Air Force’s (SAAF) fleet of obsolete Cheetah and Mirage F1 aircraft, enabling the SAAF to simultaneously downsize its fighter inventory while maintaining its full operational capability for national defence and regional peace missions.

Deliveries of the nine dual-seat and 17 single-seat Gripens are on schedule and will be completed by 2012. South Africa’s Gripens will be operated by 2 Squadron at Air Force Base Makhado in the country’s Limpopo province.

Photos of South Africa’s new Gripen fighter aircraft can be downloaded from the Gripen Image Base (GIB).