Monday October 18th, 2004, saw the take-off of the first Gripen fighter ordered for export. The aircraft, which will be delivered to the Czech Republic, was marked with Czech colors.

The Czech Air Force will be the first NATO country to operate Gripen, one of the world's most modern, fourth generation fighter aircraft. The fighters will be delivered by FMV to the Czech Republic from April 2005.

Gripen was up for 1 hour and 25 minutes and was flown by Mats Thorbiörnson, one of Saab's test pilots. Following today's maiden flight there will be a period of further air and ground tests to verify that the systems are working in line with the Czech specifications.

The fighter that made the historical flight is the first of 14 aircraft that the Swedish state (FMV) is leasing to the Czech armed forces.
The contract also includes training. Since August, the first Czech pilots have been re-training for the Gripen systems at the F7 Swedish Air Force base in Såtenäs, western central Sweden. Approximately 40 engineers are also being trained in Gripen systems at the Armed Forces Halmstad Schools (FMHS) on the south-west coast.

Headlines

Final Three Gripen Fighters Delivered to Hungary (13 Dec 2007)
Swedish Air Force Gripen Upgrade Contract Finalized (17 Oct 2007)
Swedish Air Force Gripen Gets Cobra Helmet-Mounted Display (03 Oct 2007)
Two More Hungarian Gripen Fighters Delivered (13 Aug 2007)
SAAB Selected GE F414G Engine for New Gripen Variant (02 Jul 2007)
Second Meteor missile firings with Gripen completed (21 Jun 2006)
First Five Gripen Fighters have arrived in Hungary (22 Mar 2006)
Maiden Flight First South African Gripen (11 Nov 2005)
First South African Gripen Roll-out (29 Oct 2005)
First Flight Dual Seat Hungarian Gripen (28 Oct 2005)
Final Czech Gripens Delivered (31 Aug 2005)
First Flight Czech Two-seat Gripen (21 Apr 2005)
First Six Gripen Arrive in Czech Republic (18 Apr 2005)
Hungarian Saab Gripen First Flight (20 Feb 2005)
First Hungarian Gripen Ready (25 Jan 2005)
Celebration of the First Czech Republic Gripen aircraft (15 Dec 2004)
Maiden Flight of First Czech Gripen (18 Oct 2004)