The missiles and unmanned air vehicle (UAV) business unit of Denel, Denel Dynamics, on Thursday reported that the first System Avionics Test Missile (SATM) was delivered for testing to SAAB Aerospace Systems in Sweden, at end of September.

The SATM would be used for missile/aircraft integration testing on the Gripen, both on the ground and in captive flight. It would be used to test the functional interface between the A-Darter missile and the Gripen aircraft, which includes the modification and verification of the aircraft software to be able to use the A-Darter missiles on the Gripen.

“This delivery is significant as it demonstrates the level of maturity of the missile design and its subsystems at this stage of the development programme, and pave the way for the first live test firings of A-Darter from the Gripen in 2010,” said Denel Dynamics executive manager for air-to-air programmes Denise Wilson.

Denel Dynamics was under contract to develop the A-Darter fifth generation air-to-air missile. This was a highly agile missile with imaging infrared seeker technology.

This was a bi-national programme undertaken in partnership with the Brazilian Air Force, through the South African defence procurement agency, Armscor. The initial fighter aircraft for integration were the Gripen for the South African Air Force, and the F-5BR for the Brazilian Air Force.

The successful integration of the advanced A-Darter with the modern Gripen avionics system is a key activity on the programme.

Further, significant export opportunities existed for this product into further markets as well, said Denel Dynamics.

Now in the third year of a five-and-a-half-year development programme, the A-Darter programme provides some 200 direct jobs at Denel Dynamics, and up to 1200 indirect jobs in the wider South African industry.

“This impact on job creation from Denel Dynamics in a sector that is currently experiencing a global skills shortage is an important South African contribution,” said Denel Dynamics CEO Jan Wessels.