Pilkington Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pilkington plc,
has been selected by Saab of Sweden to supply the advanced transparency
system for the cockpit of the new Saab Gripen JAS 39 jet fighter. The
Gripen JAS 39 is a fourth generation, multi-role combat aircraft to be
manufactured
by Saab for the Swedish domestic defence and for export to
several countries including Hungary The Pilkington Aerospace contract,
valued at more than US$15million, calls for the design, development and
production of windscreens and canopy systems for 250 aircraft a figure
which could double to 500, with more than 80% expected for export. With
spares, the total value of the contract could grow substantially over
the total life of the programme.