Saab, a Swedish-South African aviation and defense giant has just completed the integration of its former Grintek Integrated Defence Systems (Grids) division with new acquisition CyberSim just recently.
According to ITWeb, Saab previously owned a 25% stake in CyberSim. Another 25% was owned by the British-American defense conglomerate BAE Systems, while the rest was owned by the management. Willie Bothma was previously the CEO at CyberSim, now, he is held the head of the new entity.
The acquisition of CyberSim to the local Saab organization, Saab senior VP and MD for Saab Systems Dan-Ake Enstedt said, will strengthen the company's offering in the command-and-control (C2) as well as with the conflict simulation (war gaming) environments.
Enstedt said that the Saab Systems SA will conjoint the Grid's position in the air C2 market with CyberSim's offer in the landward C2 and conflict simulation areas. He said, "Grids designed, developed and is maintaining the sophisticated and wholly South African surveillance control and air defence system for the SA Air Force."
"With the addition of the locally developed Chaka landward C2 system, as well as the BattleTek conflict simulation system suitable for all levels of landward and joint operations, Saab now has a mature offer and systems integration capability in both sectors," he continued. "Already the new business unit has succeeded in integrating the two systems to a significant extent, thus reaping the benefit of having expertise in both the landward and air domains. The new unit has a significant offer in the civilian domains for conflict simulation, as well as in C2 and decision support for disaster management," he added.
Enstedt mentioned that Saab is considering the SA as a home market. That implies that it operates less being a local branch of a multinational and somewhat a domestic company. And, it would require a focus on local job creation and management, local intellectual property ownership and the local maintenance of all Saab-supported systems.
All were fairly and clearly discussed by Enstedt at the event last October 2, Tuesday.
Saab AB was founded in 1937 in Tollhattan. Originally, it manufactures airplanes. In the late 1940s, it sought ways to diversify its business and began manufacturing Saab automobiles with quality . And, in the late 1950s, it ventures into the computer market with its DataSAAB. By 1969, it merged with Scania-Vabis, a truck maker, wherein the collaboration was named Saab-Scania AB between 1969 and 1995. In 1990, General Motors bought 51 percent of the Saab's automobile division, up to date.
