Image: John Underwood/Purdue University
Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab has announced that it has entered into a partnership with Purdue University to build a new site for advanced manufacturing and production in West Lafayette, Indiana. According to the company, the site’s initial focus will be producing major structural sections and final assembly of the Saab parts for the T-X advanced jet trainer, which was jointly developed by Boeing and Saab for the United States Air Force. Saab has also said it is looking at expanding its U.S.-based research and development in areas such as sensor systems, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems through the partnership with Purdue.
“This is a historic moment for Saab. After careful consideration, we have chosen West Lafayette, thanks to the visionary leadership of both the State of Indiana and the world-leading Purdue University,” said Saab CEO Hkan Buskhe. “Today’s announcement is a part of our growth strategy in the United States, and deepens our relationship with the U.S. customer. We see great possibilities here for this facility and our partnerships.”
The facility will be located at the Purdue University-affiliated Discovery Park District. Saab say it intends to invest approximately $37 million and create up to 300 full-time positions at the new site beginning in 2020. Construction is scheduled to start next year.
