Saab has signed a contract with the French Ministry of Defence’s Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique (DMAé) for supporting the surface based radar system Giraffe AMB.

DMAé is responsible for the operational maintenance of the French Ministry of Defence’s aeronautics equipment. The contract, which includes support, maintenance and spare parts, covers an initial two-year period from January 2019 to January 2021, with options to extend for up to five additional years, to 2026.

The Giraffe AMB delivers key capabilities as part of short- and medium-range surveillance and Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD). It integrates powerful 3D surveillance radar and C3 functionality in one and the same system and provides forces with swift understanding of the air situation, enabling immediate and effective response to changing threats, new tactics, and shifting operational conditions.

The system monitors the air volume 360 degrees for air targets and simultaneously locates and warns against incoming rocket, artillery and mortar rounds, and at the same time able to provide coastal surveillance.

Saab delivered the Giraffe AMB systems to France in 2006. Since then, France has used the radar, command and control shelter for a range of tasks, including military air surveillance. Saab will carry out the majority of the work in Gothenburg, Sweden, with some work taking place on site in France.