LINKOPING, Sweden, Dec. 2, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Saab today announced that Aermacchi of Italy -- acting for a consortium of five leading European aerospace companies (Aermacchi, Dassault Aviation of France, EADS-CASA of Spain, EADS-Deutschland and Saab of Sweden) -- signed a contract for the Eurotraining Feasibility Study with the Italian DGAA (General Directorate forAeronautical Armaments). Acting on behalf the air forces of twelve European countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The Italian DGAA is the appointed Executive Agency on the military side as agreed in a MoU signed by the twelve participating nations.
The objective of the feasibility study is to define possible solutions and their life cycle costs for an integrated Advanced European Jet Pilot Training (AEJPT) system, Eurotraining, to be introduced around 2010. The study will cover all aspects of advanced jet pilot training including a new trainer aircraft, ground based systems, syllabi, infrastructure and siting, and will also address the implementation.
The study will be carried out by a joint industry team consisting of members from the consortium companies with support from a large number of other European aerospace firms. The study is scheduled to last one year to be followed by a definition phase.
The contract signature was preceded by an industrial launch meeting held in Dassault Aviation, Paris, on November 27 and 28. More than 60 experts from the many cooperating companies were gathered to mark the official starting of a project which features the ambitious vision of a major step forward in the flying training of future fighter pilots in Europe while also strengthening European cooperation in defence and industry.
For further information, please contact: Saab Aerospace Peter Larsson, Vice-President Communications and Public Affairs +46 13 465 31 09/+46 70 989 71 09 www.saabaerospace.com
Saab is one of the world's leading high-technology companies operating primarily in the areas of defence and aerospace. There is in Saab a range of key skills and the capacity for systems integration.
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