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Boeing, Saab take first flight in T-X trainer 36 months after starting development

This post is appearing on Autoblog Military, Autoblog's sub-site dedicated to the vehicles, aircraft and ships of the world's armed forces. Bringing a new fighter from drawing board to its first flight is generally a lengthy endeavor, taking years of planning and tweaking and engineering. Or, at least it normally does. Boeing and Saab just took their new joint-developed training fighter, the T-X, out for its first spin just 36 months after starting development. According to Saab's deputy program manager for the T-X, Eddy De la Motte, that's half the time it usually takes to get a new jet in the sky. "We went from [critical design review] to first flight in 12 months. We don't do that very much at the Boeing Company," Boeing's program manager for the T-X, Ted Torgerson told Defense News. "I don't want to say it has not been done, but for a manned aircraft to go through a complete production-ready design, that is as fast and as efficient as we've ever been through it." Boeing/Saab's first test flight was a simple, 55-minute matter for Boeing test pilots Steven Schmidt and Dan Draeger. The pair took the plane up to 10,000 feet and hit speeds of 231 knots (265 miles per hour) while running handling checks on the twin-tail, single-engine jet. "I've been a part of this team since the beginning, and it was really exciting to be the first to train and fly," pilot Schmidt said. "The aircraft met all expectations. It's well designed and offers superior handling characteristics. The cockpit is intuitive, spacious and adjustable, so everything is within easy reach." "It was a smooth flight and a successful test mission," Draeger, who rode shotgun in the instructor's seat said in an official release. "I had a great all-around view throughout the flight from the instructor's seat, which is critical during training." Boeing/Saab's T-X is one of four jets competing for the role as the US military's next training aircraft. Northrop Grumman is fielding a clean-sheet design that allegedly flew earlier this year, while Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are modifying existing designs with partners – the South Korean KAI T-50 for Lockheed and the Leonardo M-346 for Raytheon. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Defense NewsImage Credit: Boeing, Saab Saab Military

3 former Saab execs charged with tax evasion

The Associated Press reports three former Saab executives have been arrested on charges of accounting fraud. Swedish prosecutor Olof Sahlgren has refused to identify the individuals, but says they're suspected of attempting to evade taxes by falsifying Saab accounts between 2010 and 2011 during the Spyker years. Other reports indicate the parties involved include former General Counsel to Saab Kristina Geers (seen to the left of former CEO Victor Muller, above), a 15-year-veteran of the company - her husband, Eric, was the company's communications director for 9 years as well.
Saab filed for bankruptcy in 2011, and was purchased shortly thereafter by National Electric Vehicle Sweden. If convicted, the trio could face up to four years in prison for their crimes under Swedish law.

Want one of the last Saab 9-3s ever built? Here's your chance

National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) purchased the assets of bankrupt Swedish automaker Saab in 2012. The next year, NEVS restarted production of the 9-3 sedan that lasted until 2014. In December 2013, the company pulled a silver 9-3 Aero Turbo from its pool of customer cars, intended for crash testing. The crash test never happened, and that silver sedan hung out at the factory for six years. Autocar writes that NEVS wants to find that Saab a good home, and will put it up for auction later this year. The model has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 217 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, shifted through a six-speed manual transmission. Other than the fact it's spent six years holed up in a Swedish factory, the condition is brand new - there are only 3.1 miles on the odometer. It's hard to predict what such a time capsule might go for. NEVS only built 420 units before ceasing production, so the 2013 9-3 Aero Turbo has rarity on its side. This isn't the only such Saab to roll out of the crypt recently, though. In 2017, a 2014 9-3 Aero popped up in the Netherlands with only 211 miles on the odo. In 2018, a 2011 diesel 9-3 SportCombi wagon with 56 miles on the odo broke through the space-time continuum in Italy. NEVS will put its 9-3 on display in Trollhattan this weekend during the annual Saab Car Museum Festival.