Industrigruppen JAS

Industrigruppen JAS AB, commonly abbreviated IG JAS AB, was a Swedish industrial consortium created in August 1980 to coordinate the national industrial effort behind the JAS 39 Gripen combat-aircraft program. Its formation brought together Saab-Scania, Volvo Flygmotor, LM Ericsson, Svenska Radioaktiebolaget Communications and Förenade Fabriksverken (FFV). The consortium operated under executive director Harald Schröder during the early development and procurement phase and was established specifically to support Sweden's requirement for a new combat aircraft. The organization represented a broad industrial partnership rather than a conventional consumer-facing company. Saab-Scania supplied the aircraft-design and manufacturing leadership, while the other participating companies contributed capabilities associated with propulsion, electronics, communications, systems integration and industrial production. By combining these firms within a single consortium, Sweden sought to present the Swedish defence procurement authorities with an integrated national solution for the next generation of its fighter aircraft. IG JAS submitted its tender to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, known by its Swedish acronym FMV, in June 1981. The consortium's proposal concerned the aircraft that became the JAS 39 Gripen, a designation in which JAS refers to the aircraft's intended multi-role capabilities: fighter, attack and reconnaissance. On 30 June 1982, FMV and the industrial group signed a contract covering development as well as the construction of five prototype aircraft and 30 production aircraft. This agreement formally moved the project from tendering into contracted development and production. The consortium's role continued through the subsequent Gripen manufacturing program. Over time, the corporate structure of the original partnership changed substantially. Between 2006 and 2009, every participating company except Volvo Aero was either acquired by Saab or purchased and merged into Saab. As a result, the industrial ownership and organizational environment surrounding the aircraft program became more concentrated than it had been when IG JAS was formed. Industrigruppen JAS was not intended to become a permanent diversified industrial group. Its sole purpose was to organize the participating companies for the development, construction and manufacture of the Swedish combat aircraft. After completion of the final production commitment, the consortium was dissolved under executive director Lennart Sindahl. The final delivery consisted of the third and last batch of 64 JAS 39C aircraft and 14 JAS 39D aircraft. The dissolution therefore marked the completion of the consortium's defined industrial mission rather than a rebranding into another continuing business. The historical significance of IG JAS lies in its role as the original industrial framework for the Gripen program. It linked Sweden's principal aerospace, propulsion, electronics, communications and defence-manufacturing interests to a single procurement effort and helped establish the organizational basis for the aircraft's development and production. The consortium itself is now defunct, while the Gripen program and Saab's associated aerospace activities continued under successor corporate arrangements.

Industrigruppen JAS AB was established in Sweden in August 1980 as an industrial consortium for the country's planned new combat aircraft. The founding participants were Saab-Scania, Volvo Flygmotor, LM Ericsson, Svenska Radioaktiebolaget Communications and Förenade Fabriksverken. The consortium brought together the principal industrial competencies required for a complex national aerospace program, including aircraft design and production, propulsion, communications, electronics and defence manufacturing. The group was led initially by executive director Harald Schröder. Its formation reflected the procurement and industrial structure of the Swedish defence sector: rather than submitting an isolated proposal from one company, the participating firms coordinated their capabilities through a dedicated entity intended to deliver the aircraft program as an integrated national undertaking. The aircraft project was known as JAS, an abbreviation associated with the aircraft's fighter, attack and reconnaissance roles, and ultimately became the JAS 39 Gripen. In June 1981, Industrigruppen JAS submitted its tender to Försvarets Materielverk, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration. The tender was accepted through a contract signed on 30 June 1982. That contract covered development work and specified the construction of five prototype aircraft together with 30 production aircraft. The agreement established the industrial group's formal responsibility for advancing the Gripen design and organizing its initial manufacture. The consortium continued to serve as the coordinating industrial vehicle for the Gripen program. Its existence was tied to that particular aircraft effort rather than to a broad portfolio of unrelated products. Saab-Scania formed the central aerospace industrial element, while the other member companies supported the program through their respective technical and manufacturing capabilities. The corporate identities of the participating companies changed during the later life of the program. Between 2006 and 2009, all of the participating companies other than Volvo Aero were either bought by Saab or acquired and merged into Saab. This consolidation reduced the number of independent corporate entities associated with the original consortium and placed much of the relevant industrial capability within Saab's corporate structure. Industrigruppen JAS was dissolved after the completion of its defined delivery responsibility. The dissolution took place under executive director Lennart Sindahl and followed delivery of the third and final batch: 64 JAS 39C aircraft and 14 JAS 39D aircraft. With that final batch delivered, the consortium's original purpose had been fulfilled. Its history is therefore closely bounded by the development, contracting and production phases of the Gripen program. Although IG JAS itself ceased to exist, the aircraft program continued through successor arrangements centered on Saab and the broader Gripen industrial and operational ecosystem.

• 2009

  Consolidation period concluded

  [1]Industrigruppen JASen.wikipedia.org

  By 2009, all participating companies except Volvo Aero had been bought by Saab or purchased and merged into Saab.

• 2006

  Corporate consolidation began among participating companies

  [1]Industrigruppen JASen.wikipedia.org

  A period began in which the consortium's participating companies were acquired by or merged into Saab, with Volvo Aero remaining outside that consolidation.

• 1982

  Development and production contract signed

  [1]Industrigruppen JASen.wikipedia.org

  On 30 June, the consortium signed a contract covering aircraft development, five prototypes and 30 production aircraft.

• 1981

  Tender submitted to FMV

  [1]Industrigruppen JASen.wikipedia.org

  The consortium submitted its tender for the future JAS 39 Gripen to Försvarets Materielverk in June.

• 1980

  Consortium established

  [1]Industrigruppen JASen.wikipedia.org

  Industrigruppen JAS AB was founded in August by Saab-Scania, Volvo Flygmotor, LM Ericsson, Svenska Radioaktiebolaget Communications and Förenade Fabriksverken to pursue development and manufacture of Sweden's planned new combat aircraft.

• Consortium dissolved after final deliveries

  [1]Industrigruppen JASen.wikipedia.org

  IG JAS was dissolved under executive director Lennart Sindahl after delivery of the third and final batch, comprising 64 JAS 39C and 14 JAS 39D aircraft.

A Swedish defence-industrial consortium organized around the national development, manufacture and delivery of a multi-role combat aircraft for the Swedish Air Force.

• Combat aircraft program · 1982

  JAS 39 Gripen

  The JAS 39 Gripen was the Swedish multi-role combat aircraft program for which Industrigruppen JAS was created. The JAS designation refers to the aircraft's intended fighter, attack and reconnaissance roles. IG JAS coordinated the industrial consortium responsible for development, prototype construction and production under the contract awarded by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration. The program included prototype aircraft and successive production batches, including the JAS 39C and JAS 39D variants.

• Single-seat combat aircraft variant

  JAS 39C

  The JAS 39C was one of the production variants delivered during the later stages of the Gripen program. The third and final delivery batch associated with the consortium included 64 JAS 39C aircraft. These deliveries formed part of the production commitment whose completion enabled the dissolution of Industrigruppen JAS.

• Two-seat combat aircraft variant

  JAS 39D

  The JAS 39D was a two-seat production variant of the Gripen aircraft. Fourteen JAS 39D aircraft were included in the third and final batch delivered before Industrigruppen JAS was dissolved. The variant formed part of the consortium's completed manufacturing and delivery responsibility.

• 1982

  Contract for Gripen development and initial productionProduct launch

  Background

  Following the consortium's tender submission to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration in June 1981, the proposed aircraft program moved into a contracted development phase.

  Action taken

  On 30 June 1982, the consortium signed a contract covering development, five prototype aircraft and 30 production aircraft.

  Aftermath

  The agreement established the formal production and development framework for the JAS 39 Gripen program.

  Source

• 1980

  Creation of a dedicated national aerospace consortiumStrategy

  Background

  Sweden needed an industrial structure capable of coordinating the development and manufacture of a new multi-role combat aircraft. The relevant aerospace, propulsion, communications and defence-manufacturing companies therefore formed Industrigruppen JAS.

  Action taken

  Saab-Scania, Volvo Flygmotor, LM Ericsson, Svenska Radioaktiebolaget Communications and Förenade Fabriksverken established IG JAS in August 1980.

  Aftermath

  The consortium became the industrial vehicle through which the Gripen tender was submitted and the subsequent development and production contract was performed.

  Source

• Dissolution after fulfillment of the consortium's purposeStrategy

  Background

  Industrigruppen JAS was created for a specific aircraft development and manufacturing mission rather than as a permanent industrial holding company.

  Action taken

  After delivery of the third and final batch, consisting of 64 JAS 39C and 14 JAS 39D aircraft, the consortium was dissolved under executive director Lennart Sindahl.

  Aftermath

  The Gripen program continued through successor corporate arrangements, while IG JAS ceased operations once its defined delivery role had been completed.

  Source

1. 1Industrigruppen JASen.wikipedia.org