PRESS INFORMATION

Page 1 (2)

Date Reference September 15, 2009 CU 09:028 E

Saab receives order for BOL Countermeasures Dispensing System

The defence and security company Saab has been awarded an integration and production contract with an order value of MEURO 14 (approximately MSEK 137) for the BOL dispenser system from the Finnish Air Force (Air Force Command Finland, AFCOMFIN).

The dispensers will be installed on the F-18 Hornet in Finland as part of the Hornet Mid Life Upgrade 2 (MLU2) Program to improve the aircraft's Electronic Warfare Self Protection capability. Saab will begin to deliver the systems and services in 2009 and in essence be completed in the end of 2011.

"We are pleased to once again be a supplier of equipment to the Finnish Air Force fighter aircraft. We are looking forward to providing the best dispenser available. The BOL dispenser will enhance the survivability of the aircraft significantly, says Micael Johansson, Business Unit Manager, Saab Avitronics.

The contract also includes an extensive Industrial Participation (IP) package for the Finnish industry.

The BOL Countermeasures Dispensing System from Saab has earlier been successfully flight-tested and integrated on the Royal Australian Air Force's F/A-18 Hornet. BOL dispensers provide protection against both heat-seeking and radar guided missiles. The BOL system configuration for F/A 18's dramatically increases the amount of countermeasure payload carried by each aircraft, significantly improving the chances of surviving missile threats.

Fast facts on the BOL system

The Saab BOL system is an advanced countermeasures dispensing system with proven superior performance.
The BOL system uses wingtip vortices to distribute the chaff- and IR payload, which greatly improves dispersion and the rapid formation of a protective cloud, while avoiding the need for pyrotechnics and making it quicker, easier and safer to load the system.
Each BOL holds 160 chaff/IR packages, five times more than conventional dispensers.
Saab BOL Countermeasures Dispensing system is currently in operational service on for example the UK Harrier GR7 and Tornado, US Air Force/Air National Guard's F-15 Eagle and the Swedish Gripen. The system is currently in production for the EF-2000 Typhoon.

Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions ranging from military defence to civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents and constantly develops, adopts and improves new technology to meet customers' changing needs.