Space meets Defence

The importance of and dependency on space is increasing for the whole of society. The combination of commercial and military technologies is accelerating this even further and Saab's clear ambition is to develop space capabilities in partnership with our customers, industry and academia. We are approaching space development with agility and with an emphasis on exploration, collaboration and iterative demonstrations.

From Gripen pilot to astronaut

We are very proud to support Sweden’s next astronaut, Saab's Chief Test Pilot, Marcus Wandt. We will be supporting the exploration of space and will be part of very exciting research and technology development. Saab is one of the co-financiers that are making space flight possible and ensuring that Sweden is at the forefront of space research.

Saab pilot next Swede in space

Thousands of active satellites and debris currently orbit the Earth and this number will continue to increase rapidly over the years to come. At Saab, we provide our customers with what we call, “Undeniable access to Space”. By merging data from a variety of sources, including satellites, we provide decision-makers with a critical advantage on the battlefield by giving them the information needed early enough to take appropriate actions.

Saab’s ground based and in-orbit solutions, including our agile Command and Control Mission System capabilities, underpin our main product offerings. We are connecting our multi-domain command and control solutions and existing products with satellite data for supreme situational awareness. Development of the command and control mission system capabilities, as well as integration, is undertaken globally, from Sweden to Australia and confirms Saab's commitment to this domain and our commitment to provide safety and security for all.

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Space – a source of inspiration

Take it from our space advisor Christer Fuglesang, scientist, professor at The Royal Institute of Technology – and former astronaut: there is plenty to learn from the universe.

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Saab has been spearheading maritime traffic management and safety with products using the Automatic Identification System (AIS). We are now taking the next step to the international VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) standard with significantly more bandwidth compared to AIS.

Saab has designed and manufactured a space-hardened VDES-transponder and is co-financing satellite development. This will expand global data communication opportunities for the civilian maritime industry and can serve as an enabler for e-navigation and autonomous shipping. Space-based infrastructure would increase the VDES range from the shoreline to anywhere in the world, converting what is currently a predominantly coastal system into a global maritime solution.

Read more about VDES.

Innovation is imperative for Saab’s future, and innovation of space technology is of strategic priority. Some examples of the areas we are developing include:

Data and decision optimisation is at the core of our command and control capability, as well as our product portfolio. Saab is globally undertaking research and development collaborations with a multitude of governmental agencies and research organisations. These efforts are enhancing the use of Big Data and AI for the benefit of operations and ensures efficiency gains for our end-customers.

Space plays an important role in our customers’ needs for military cross- and multi-domain operations. Saab, with its great command and control legacy, is actively working on developing these types of capabilities. We are integrating the space domain using our knowledge and experience we have in building system-of-systems solutions.

We are exploring MultiInt and SigInt for space deployed assets. We have undertaken research on behalf of governmental organisations and the European Space Agency around, for example, the detection and geo-location of radar signals and communication emitters, as well as ground station capabilities.

Saab has a proven track record of delivering integrated solutions into existing and future platforms, and our inherent capabilities support numerous defence forces around the globe. Saab is ensuring that technological development and its integration into service is held to the highest level of validation, with the best possible support for the soldier.