An extensive arms deal with the Philippines is getting closer.
According to several independent sources, in November the Agency for Strategic Products Inspection, ISP, issued a positive advance notice for the export of the Jas Gripen to the Philippines.
According to Aftonbladet's information, the matter has been up for discussion in ISP's politically appointed Export Control Council, EKR, which in November made a unanimous decision to approve the deal.
First time
According to information to Aftonbladet, this is the first time that Swedish arms exports to the Philippines have been approved. As recently as last October, EKR said no to the export of the Jas Gripen to the Philippines, as Aftonbladet reported earlier.
ISP does not want to comment on the matter of the export of Jas Gripen to the Philippines and in an email Karl Evertsson, former head of the munitions group, now foreign affairs and security policy advisor, writes:
"This type of information is subject to confidentiality. Primarily foreign secrecy, but usually also commercial secrecy. ISP cannot therefore confirm or deny such information.”
A positive advance notice means that ISP has informed Saab that the company can count on getting an application for an export permit approved.
How many planes the deal is about and which model of Gripen is in question is not known, but according to emails released by the Ministry of Defense last year, it was the current version, the Jas Gripen C, as well as the two-seater model D that was in question in the Philippines' case.
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