TSAMTO, March 24. The first three turboprop training aircraft Grob-120TP (G-120TP) of the German company Grob Aircraft SE were delivered to Sweden under a contract dated May 5, 2021.
As reported by Scramble.nl It is expected that the G-120TP, which will receive the local designation SK-40, will be officially transferred to the Swedish Air Force on April 3, 2023.
On May 5, 2021, the Swedish Armed Forces Material Support Agency (FMV) announced the signing of a contract with the German company Grob Aircraft SE for the supply of a new basic pilot training system for the country's Armed Forces based on the G-120TP turboprop training aircraft.
The contract includes the supply of aircraft, simulators, flight safety equipment, as well as maintenance of equipment. The agreement contains options that allow you to purchase additional aircraft, simulators and other equipment in the future. The number of ordered TCB and their cost were not disclosed in the press release. As stated, the initial purchase package meets the requirements of the Armed Forces and the available financial capabilities. According to media reports, at the first stage, the Air Force will receive 7 aircraft. The new TCB will replace the Saab-105 (SK-60) aircraft in service.
The Saab-105 twin-engine TCB has been in service with the Swedish Air Force since 1967. They are used for basic and advanced training of pilots before piloting JAS-39 Gripen fighters. Taking into account the service life, the SK-60 does not meet the requirements for the training of pilots of modern fighters and is seriously inferior in its capabilities to the aircraft available on the market. Thus, the Swedish Air Force is in dire need of a new training aircraft, as well as related systems for training pilots.
Within the framework of the project, in recent years, the Swedish Armed Forces have repeatedly initiated the purchase of new aircraft, but for various reasons it has not been made. The last competition was cancelled in September 2020. After reviewing the purchase parameters, the Swedish government authorized FMV to purchase a complete flight training system for the first stage of pilot training, which should include TCB, simulators, flight safety equipment (helmets, masks, life jackets, parachutes, etc.).
The purpose of the procurement project is to launch the pilot training system at the Malmen Airbase (Linkoping Municipality) in the summer of 2024. Before that, instructors must "fly around" the system. Since the required procurement deadlines were compressed, the Air Force command sought to purchase a ready-made solution available on the market without special "Swedish" modifications. The supplier will be responsible for the maintenance of the TCB for the first three years with an option for another two years. Later, the contract for aircraft maintenance will be signed on a competitive basis.
The adoption of the TCB into service with the Air Force will begin in the second quarter of 2023. It is assumed that in 2023 the instructors of the Air Force Flight School will begin testing the training system, and the training of cadets will begin in the summer of 2024.
It can be assumed that for advanced training, the Swedish Air Force will in the future acquire the T-7A "Redhawk" TCB, developed by Boeing together with Saab.
