SA will soon be able to service the most sophisticated aircraft and defence equipment in a new state-of-the-art repair and maintenance facility following the signing of an SA-Swedish deal.

Defence and industrial technology firm Grintek last night launched a new division, in partnership with Saab of Sweden, to service the avionics of both military and civilian aircraft, as well as land, air and sea communications and electronic protection systems.

The new Grintek-Saab jointventure, called Logtronics, is expected to lead to the transfer of skills and technology to SA. It will provide spare parts, and will handle the repair and maintenance of SA aircraft and other defence equipment acquired from Saab, as well as Grintek's own hightechnology defence products.

"This service will not be limited to systems and products produced by Grintek and Saab but will serve as a regional repair and maintenance centre for all aviation and defence-related products, particularly where the manufacturers are not situated in SA," said Grintek.

The company said the establishment of the Logtronics unit followed a two-year study in conjunction with the SA Air Force (SAAF), Saab, and BAE Systems "to find a cost-effective and affordable solution for spare parts provisioning, repair and maintenance of the new systems being acquired under the SA National Defence Force's strategic defence procurement packages."

Grintek CE Sybrand Grobbelaar said in the past, air forces and commercial operators worldwide had tended to create separate and independent support operations, focused on only one aircraft type, each with its own test equipment and dedicated technicians.

This resulted in expensive and wastefully low workloads on the specialised test equipment and dedicated personnel. "Logtronics will follow a fresh and innovative approach," he said.

Apart from the generic test equipment already available within Grintek, Logtronics has placed an order for new equipment which is certified for Airbus aircraft, of the type currently on order from the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company for SA Airways.

"We are therefore not only targeting business from the SAAF, but also aim to gain logistic support business from regional air forces, local and regional airlines, the SA army and navy, as well as regional armies and navies," said Grobbelaar.

"Our aim is to establish long-term strategic partnerships with our customers, in order to provide them with the best and most cost-effective logistic support over the typical 20 to 30 years life span of the equipment."

Saab director Ulf Ericsson said: "Logtronics will also be able to draw on the vast experience and competence of Saab."

Grintek chairman Zoli Kunene said that the formation of Logtronics had been a further step in cementing Grintek's already strong relationship with Saab, harnessing synergies that exist between Saab and Grintek.

"Logtronics will provide costeffective support for the sophisticated electronic products and systems procured under the defence packages," he said.

It would also provide an attractive solution to the maintenance and logistic support for regional operators of aircraft and defence equipment. "At the moment, these systems have to be sent back to the manufacturers half way around the world for repair and maintenance."

With acknowledgements to John Fraser and Business Day.