Saab 2014 Annual Report Download - page 33

STRATEGY
PORTFOLIO
Saab invests in product innovation and strategic acquisitions in key
areas in order to achieve a more focused, market-oriented portfolio.
The investments are primarily in areas where the Group is, or could be,
a market or technology leader.
In 2014, total internaööy and customer funded
research and development amounted to MSEK
5,970 (6,543), corresponding to 25 per cent (28)
of sales. Examples of Saab's development work:
• Saab and Boeing continued the joint develop-
ment of a new, advanced and cost ecient
training aircra. e goal is to participate in
the US Air Force’s upcoming T-X programme.
• e product portfolio in surveillance radar was
expanded with ve totally new radar systems.
e major investments in recent years have
added, among other things, a modular antenna
and signal processing. is signicantly
strengthens Saab’s oering and means that the
Girae product family now includes long-range
air surveillance. e same basic technology can
be used in ground-based and sea radar as well
as in airborne systems.
• Development work during the year on the next
generation Gripen included the modernisation
of the electronic warfare system. is techno-
logy can also be used in other parts of Saab’s
portfolio, such as submarines.
• A new generation of the Carl-Gustaf weapon
system was launched. e Carl-Gustaf M4 has a
lower weight, better ergonomics and a new sight
functions.
• Remote Tower, a system for remote air trac
management, was further upgraded with secu-
rity-enhancing components and during the
year was placed in operation in Örnsköldsvik,
where air trac control is now managed from
Sundsvall.
• e naval re control system 9LV was further
enhanced with new technology and virtualisa-
tion. is development is one example of Saab’s
use of open source code, which is a proven
approach and reduces the cost of the parts of
the system that do not need to be customised.
Saab continued during the year to work on product
development through modularisation. Modularisa-
tion allows the Group to quickly customise solu-
tions, while minimising investment. is makes
development work more cost ecient and shortens
the lead time from development to sale, thereby
reducing tied-up capital.
NEW RADAR SYSTEM FOR A GROWING MARKET
Saab expanded its surface radar portfolio with five new radar systems
for land and sea. The new systems offer a number of advantages; not
only do they see smaller targets at longer distances, but they are also
more robust and less sensitive to disruptions. Modern aircraft have
sophisticated jamming devices to avoid radar detection, because of
which radar systems must contain advanced technology to counter
jamming attempts. Moreover, the systems must be able to suppress
“noise,” i.e., to sort out interfering signals that the radar may pick up.
The new systems use AESA electronically scanned array radar tech-
nology, which can scan an area more efficiently than traditional radar,
but, at the same time, place high demands on the software.
Radar primarily has three applications: scanning an area for aircraft,
linking to a weapon that can fire on intruders or localising where a wea-
pon has been fired. Giraffe 4A, the first product in the new family, can
do all three at the same time.
Saab’s new radar systems have been developed over several years
as part of the Group’s largest development project after Gripen. The
systems are modularly designed, which means that additional models
can be developed at relatively low costs. One example is Giraffe 8A
for long-range air surveillance. The systems for land, sea and air share
the same development department. Saab expects the radar market to
produce solid long-term growth.
SAAB ANNUAL REPORT 2014 – 29