Saab

What Saab does

Saab AB (publ) is a Swedish public limited company founded in 1937 and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm under ticker SAAB B, headquartered in Stockholm with operating presence in over 30 countries and products sold to over 100 countries. The company designs, develops, manufactures, and supports defence and security systems across four business areas: Aeronautics (Gripen E/F multi-role fighters and GlobalEye airborne early warning and control on the Bombardier Global 6500 airframe), Surveillance (the Giraffe family of 3D AESA radars including the new Giraffe AMB D, Arthur weapon-locating radar, Sirius passive sensors, and LoyalEye podded radar integrated on GA-ASI's MQ-9B), Dynamics (NLAW shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon, Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifle with the new HEAT 758 round, RBS 70 NG short-range air defence with the Bolide 2 missile, and MSHORAD mobile SHORAD integrating Giraffe 1X with RBS 70 NG on Scania tactical vehicles), and Kockums/Naval (A26 next-generation submarines for Sweden and Poland, Blekinge-class, 9LV combat management system, and the Autonomous Ocean Core for unmanned surface/sub-surface platforms), supplemented by Air Traffic Management and security solutions. Core technology rests on proprietary AESA radar, integrated combat management software, AI-enabled sensor-to-effector chains, and co-developed airframe/sensor integrations with Bombardier, GA-ASI, Embraer, CAE, Scania and Sabena technics. Saab's revenue model is government-procurement-driven: multi-year fixed-price contracts with national defence ministries and armed forces, structured around major platform sales (fighters, submarines, AEW&C) plus recurring sustainment, training (CAE/VTESS/WLTSS), and through-life support revenue. FY2025 sales were 79.1 BSEK with a year-end 2025 order backlog of 274,532 MSEK (approximately 3.5x annual revenue), and the company employed 26,100 people. Recent strategic activity has emphasized geographic diversification into India (Carl-Gustaf plant), Ukraine (Gripen framework), Poland (A26), and Canada (GlobalEye preferred supplier), combined with AI capability acquisitions (CrowdAI in 2023, 10% stake in Comand AI in 2026) and supply-chain verticalization (Deform in 2025).

Name

Saab

Legal name

Saab AB (publ)

Website

https://saab.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Saab is a Stockholm-headquartered, Nasdaq-listed Swedish defence and security prime (founded 1937) that designs, manufactures, and supports multi-domain air, land, naval, and security systems for national governments in over 100 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense & Security Systems

NAICS

Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)

SIC

Aircraft (3721), Aircraft & Parts (3720), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Military Aircraft Platforms (Fixed-Wing) (IMABAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special-Mission Fixed-Wing Aircraft Manufacturing (ISR, AEW&C, Patrol) (IMABAAAH), Radar Systems & Subsystems (Airborne, Ground, Naval) (IMABAGAA), Submarine Manufacturing (SSN/SSK/SSBN) (IMAJABAG), Air Defense Missiles & Interceptors (IMABAHAD)

Keywords

• Military fighter aircraft
• Airborne early warning
• Ground combat weapons
• Naval defense systems
• Air traffic management

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Core offering

Saab designs, develops, manufactures, and sells defense and security products across four business segments: Air (Gripen E/F fighter aircraft and GlobalEye airborne early warning & control), Land (NLAW and Carl-Gustaf anti-tank weapons, RBS 70 NG and Giraffe-based air defense, Arthur weapon-locating radar), Naval (A26 submarines, Seaeye subsea robotics, and 9LV combat management), and Security (air traffic management, electronic warfare, and sensors). Customers are primarily armed forces, defense ministries, and civil aviation authorities.

Product overview

Saab operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture across four product segments: Air (Gripen E/F fighter aircraft, GlobalEye AEW&C, Saab 2000 Erieye, LoyalEye radar), Land (Giraffe radar family including Giraffe 1X, Giraffe AMB, Giraffe AMB D, Giraffe 4A; NLAW; Carl-Gustaf M4 with HEAT 758 round; RBS 70 NG with Bolide 2 missile; MSHORAD; Arthur weapon locating radar; VTESS training), Naval (A26 submarines, Blekinge-class submarines, 9LV Combat Management System, Autonomous Ocean Core, Seaeye subsea robotics), and Security (Sirius Compact L20C passive sensor, Barracuda camouflage systems, Air Traffic Management solutions including A-SMGCS and I-ATS). Core platforms such as the Gripen E/F family and GlobalEye AEW&C are enhanced through integrated modules including AI-powered C5ISR capabilities (via Comand AI investment), computer vision (via CrowdAI acquisition), and loyal wingman functionality for commanding unmanned systems from the Gripen F cockpit. The company's product offering combines organic R&D with strategic acquisitions (Deform for submarine parts, CrowdAI for AI/computer vision) and strategic partnerships (with Bombardier for GlobalEye, GA-ASI for MQ-9B integration, Scania for tactical vehicles, Embraer for Gripen production, CAE for training, and Sabena technics for GlobalEye modifications).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gripen: Family of fighter aircraft including Gripen E and Gripen F (two-seat), with operational deployments in Sweden, Brazil, Thailand, and others.
• GlobalEye
• Seaeye
• Giraffe
• NLAW
• Carl-Gustaf
• Arthur

Products and services

• Gripen E A single-seat, multirole, canard-delta fighter aircraft built for air force customers, featuring an electronically scanned radar, electronic warfare suite, and a NATO-interoperable data link for networked air operations.
• Gripen F A two-seat variant of the Gripen E multirole fighter, designed for advanced training, complex mission roles, and dual-control operations by air force customers.
• GlobalEye AEW&C An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft built on a long-range business jet platform, carrying Saab's extended-range Erieye ER radar for simultaneous air, maritime, and ground surveillance by air force customers.
• Giraffe 1X A compact, 3D AESA radar designed for ground-based air defense, air surveillance, and counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) missions, intended for army and short-range air defense customers.
• Giraffe AMB A medium- to long-range 3D multi-beam surveillance radar used for air defense, airspace management, and weapons locating by air force and army customers.
• NLAW A shoulder-launched, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided weapon for dismounted infantry, offering top-attack and direct-attack modes against main battle tanks and light armored vehicles.
• Carl-Gustaf M4 The latest-generation man-portable 84mm recoilless rifle, lighter and more effective than prior Carl-Gustaf versions, used by dismounted infantry and special operations forces against armored, materiel, and personnel targets.
• RBS 70 NG The latest-generation Very Short Range Air Defense (VSHORAD) missile system with the Bolide missile, providing day/night all-target capability for ground forces against fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aircraft.
• MSHORAD A Mobile Short-Range Air Defense (MSHORAD) system integrating Giraffe 1X radar, command-and-control, and RBS 70 NG effectors on a tactical vehicle to protect maneuver units against air threats.
• A26 Submarine A next-generation conventional submarine for the Swedish Navy and export customers, featuring air-independent propulsion (AIP), modular payload bays, and modern combat system integration for Baltic and littoral operations.
• Seaeye (subsea robotics) A family of electric, remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles used by navies, hydrographic services, and commercial operators for inspection, intervention, mine countermeasures, and survey missions.
• Arthur weapon locating radar A weapon-locating radar system used by army and artillery units to detect, track, and classify incoming enemy artillery, mortar, and rocket fire and to compute hostile firing positions.
• 9LV Combat Management System A naval combat management system used on surface combatants to integrate sensors, weapons, and communications, enabling coordinated anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare operations.
• Sirius Compact L20C A compact passive electronic warfare sensor used by army and homeland security customers for detection, classification, and direction-finding of radar emitters in dense electromagnetic environments.
• Air Traffic Management solutions A portfolio of civil and military air traffic management solutions — including remote and digital towers, surveillance sensors, and control center systems — sold to air navigation service providers and military air operations customers.

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability14 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CAEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAE and Saab entered a teaming agreement related to Canada's AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) program. The partnership is a cooperative co-development arrangement.
• General Atomics (GA-ASI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Saab and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) related to the LoyalEye / MQ-9B platform collaboration.
• BombardiercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiscussions between Saab and Bombardier regarding modification work for Canada's GlobalEye airborne surveillance platform.
• Sabena technicscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFramework agreement between Saab and Sabena technics covering modification work for the GlobalEye platform. Sabena technics serves as a modification/implementation services provider.
• CrowdAIminorOthersSaab acquired CrowdAI, integrating the company's capabilities into Saab's portfolio. This represents an M&A relationship rather than a traditional partnership.
• DeformminorOthersSaab acquired Deform, integrating the company's capabilities into Saab's portfolio. This represents an M&A relationship rather than a traditional partnership.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• General Dynamics: US prime with significant naval (submarine and surface ship) franchise; broad incumbent comparable to Saab's Kockums submarine business.
• Lockheed Martin: World's largest defense prime; competes with Saab across fighters (F-35 vs Gripen) and broader defense markets; substantially larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Northrop Grumman: US prime competing in AEW&C (E-7 Wedgetail vs GlobalEye) and broader aerospace/electronic systems; partner via GA-ASI on LoyalEye MQ-9B integration but otherwise a strategic competitor.

Direct peers

• BAE Systems: Largest European defense prime across air, land, naval and cyber; direct competitor to Saab in European fighter (Eurofighter/Typhoon vs Gripen), naval and land systems tenders.
• Rheinmetall: German defense prime in land weapons, air defense and ammunition; directly comparable in Dynamics-equivalent product lines (anti-tank, air defense, artillery) and benefits from the same European rearmament theme.
• Thales: French defense electronics prime covering radars, C2, sensors, and naval combat systems; directly competes with Saab's Surveillance (Giraffe) and naval C2 (9LV) businesses, and partnered with Saab on Canada AEW&C.
• Leonardo: Italian defense prime across helicopters, electronics, aircraft and naval; direct competitor in European radar (compared to Giraffe), trainers and naval combat management.
• Dassault Aviation: French fighter (Rafale) OEM; direct peer to Saab's Gripen in the European fighter export market and competing for similar air-superiority contracts.
• Kongsberg Gruppen: Norwegian defense and aerospace group covering missiles (NASAMS, NSM), naval, and integrated defense systems; direct competitor to Saab Dynamics in missile and air-defense markets.

Emerging players

• Hanwha Defense: South Korean defense prime competing in the same Poland A26 submarine tender that Saab won; emerging global submarine and armored-vehicle exporter and an increasingly relevant competitor in European tenders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/saab
• Facebookfacebook.com/saabtechnologies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saab

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A13 records

Investments10 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saab