Saab has opened a new radar production plant as part of its growth strategy in the UK. The new radar factory, located in Fareham, will contribute between 100 and 150 jobs as it grows.
Saab UK’s Sensor Systems business will operate from Saab’s facility in Fareham, with a team also located in Farnborough. The qualified team in Fareham mainly produces and integrates the new Deployment Set project, a configuration of the Giraffe 1X, a lightweight, compact and robust 3D AESA radar based on easy-to-deploy software.
This increases Saab’s production capacity for the Giraffe 1X Deployment Set and the first units are already in production at the Fareham site. Saab UK’s Sensor Systems business will also act as a Center of Excellence, developing the UK’s intellectual property in the radar domain.
It will also grow to maintain existing radars in service with the UK Ministry of Defense, such as the Giraffe 1X and Giraffe AMB air defense radars and the MAMBA (Arthur) artillery location radars. The entire facility in Fareham is expected to benefit 400 employees at Saab, in established and future roles, in various commercial activities.
“This announcement of our new production facility in Fareham is the latest step in the growth of Saab UK and follows closely on from our recent acquisition of BlueBear. The start-up of Sensor Systems means hundreds of skilled and economically valuable jobs and a new defense industrial capability in the UK for our customers,” says Dean Rosenfield, managing director of Saab UK.
Defense Procurement Minister James Cartlidge said: “I am delighted to welcome Saab’s investment in the UK, creating hundreds of skilled jobs and supporting our defense industrial base. I look forward to this new facility supporting our Armed Forces in the use of advanced radar capabilities.”
Saab UK’s Fareham site has been growing with the announcement in February 2023 of the expansion of Seaeye’s remotely operated and autonomous vehicle underwater systems business. Across the UK, Saab has eight main units that focus on software engineering, underwater robotics, training services, radars and more.
Saab UK’s presence has grown rapidly, with the number of employees quadrupling through consolidation, acquisition and organic growth, bringing together the best of Swedish and British innovation.
*** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***