We have been selected as a preferred bidder and then Sweden has received a letter stating that this is the case, and then a process is initiated to negotiate a contract, says Micael Johansson to TT in connection with the defense group's report for the third quarter.
It is already known that Thailand's defense has recommended Saab's air force Gripen.
Where is the ball, with the Thai parliament or government?
The ball is now in a phase where they are planning how to set up a negotiation team, how to initiate this. That's the phase we're in. So the ball isn't with any specific decision anywhere right now. Now it's a process that needs to be run to reach a contract, says Micael Johansson.
"Leads to a contract"
Have the politicians said yes to this? Has the Thai government said yes?
The only thing we know is that we have been selected as a preferred bidder and then Sweden has received a letter stating that this is the case, and then a process is initiated to negotiate a contract. I don't know anything more about that question, but then everyone assumes that this will be a planned process that leads to a contract, says Johansson.
You don't initiate a negotiation if you don't intend to reach a contract. So it's strongly implied in that sense that we have received a preferred bidder, he continues.
Whether the process takes three or six months is hard to say.
But we have been selected in Thailand and that's very positive, says he, but emphasizes that no contract is finalized yet.
Order increase of 41 percent
Saab reported, as usual nowadays in a world of war and unrest, a strong result. The operating profit for the third quarter rose to nearly 1.2 billion kronor, which is an increase of 38 percent compared to the same period last year.
The order intake during the third quarter increased by 41 percent and amounted to nearly 21.2 billion kronor. Revenues rose by 2 billion to 13.5 billion kronor "with growth in all business areas".
