Saab Group Saab Group ( originally SAAB , later Saab AB ) is a Swedish aerospace and defence company , founded in 1937 . From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile . Between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania - Vabis , known as Saab - Scania . History . " Svenska Aeroplan AB ( aktiebolag ) " ( Swedish for " Swedish Aeroplane Company Limited " ) ( SAAB ) was founded in 1937 in Trollhättan , with the merger of Svenska Aero AB ( SAAB ) and Linköping based ASJA the headquarters moved to Linköping . The style " Saab " replaced " SAAB " around 1950 . Originally manufacturing aircraft , the company sought ways in which to diversify its business . In the late 1940s the company began manufacturing cars at its Saab Automobile division was based in Trollhättan . The first car was the Saab 92 ; full - scale production started December 12 , 1949 , based on the prototype Ursaab . In the late 1950s Saab ventured into the computer market with Datasaab . The company was a result partly of the need to make a computer that would be small enough to mount in an aeroplane as navigational equipment . During the 1960s several computers were developed and sold to European countries , for uses such as banking . The aircraft computer ( CK 37 ) was used in 1971 in the Viggen . The company was sold in 1975 to Sperry UNIVAC , while Saab retained its flight computer development . In May 1965 , the company name was changed to Saab AB to reflect its broad range of activities . In 1968 Saab AB merged with the Swedish lorry , bus and heavy - duty diesel engine manufacturer Scania - Vabis , and became Saab - Scania AB . In 1990 General Motors bought 51 percent of the car division Saab Automobile , and acquired the rest a decade later . In 1991 Investor AB completed leveraged buyout of Saab - Scania AB . Investor AB acquired all the outstanding shares in Saab - Scania for approximately SEK 21 billion . . Saab - Scania became a wholly owned subsidiary of Investor AB and the company was de - listed . In 1995 Saab - Scania was divided by Investor AB into two independent companies , de - merging into Scania AB and Saab AB . The intention by Investor AB was to broaden ownership in the two companies later . Following the sale of 50 % of the car division Saab Automobile AB to General Motors , the main reason behind the merger with lorry manufacturer Scania - Vabis in 1968 had disappeared . Saab Military Aircraft and British Aerospace ( now BAE Systems ) formed in 1995 the joint venture company Saab - BAe Gripen AB , to manufacture , market and support Gripen internationally . This co - operation was extended in 2001 with the formation of Gripen International for the same purpose . From 1998 until 2005 the largest shareholder in Saab was the British aerospace company BAE Systems , following its acquisition of a 35 % stake from Investor AB by its predecessor , British Aerospace . In January 2005 , BAE Systems reduced its shareholding to 20 % . Investor AB maintained a 20 % share . In December 2005 Saab joined the Dassault nEUROn project as a major partner . In October 2008 the company announced its intention to merge its operations with that of Simrad Optronics . The new unit will develop high - tech optronics products and will be headquartered in Norway , although other details of the new arrangement have not been finalized . In 2010 the company restructured from fifteen business units into five business areas ; Aeronautics , Dynamics , Electronic Defence Systems , Security and Defence Solutions , and Support and Services . According to Saab the restructuring was undertaken to become more market and customer oriented . In March 2010 , BAE Systems sold half of its 20 % stake in the company to Investor AB , which then became the major shareholder . In June 2011 , the British company eventually sold its remaining stake bringing its 16 year involvement in Saab to an end . As of June 2012 , Investor AB owns a 30 % stake in the company ( 39 . 5 % of the voting rights ) and is the majority owner . Aircraft production . The main focus of aircraft production is fighter aircraft . Saab has been making aircraft since the 1930s , and the jet predecessors of the JAS 39 Gripen were the Tunnan , the Lansen , the Draken and the Viggen . The last civilian models made by Saab were the Saab 340 and Saab 2000 . Both were mid - range turboprop - powered passenger planes . The development and the manufacturing of these aircraft takes place in Linköping . Organization . Aeronautics . Aeronautics offers airborne systems , related subsystems , Unmanned Aerial Systems ( UAS ) and aerostructures . The business area Aeronautics is responsible for airframe structures for JAS 39 Gripen , and whole sections for Airbus , Boeing and NH90 . System development of the JAS 39 Gripen and the Skeldar VTOL UAV . Aeronautics is also partner in the European joint UAV - project Dassault nEUROn , where Saab develop Avionics and is responsible for the overall architecture and design . Marketing and support of the JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet is also included in the Aeronautics business area . Dynamics . Dynamics offers ground combat weapons , missile systems , torpedoes , sensor systems , unmanned underwater vehicles and signature management systems , remotely operated vehicles for armed forces as well as civil security applications . Short range weapons offered include Carl - Gustaf , AT4 / AT4 CS , STRIX and MBT LAW . Missile systems offered are RBS 70 , RBS 23 and RBS 15 . Electronic Defence Systems . Saab Electronic Defence Systems offers airborne , ground based and naval radars , including Erieye , ARTHUR and GIRAFFE . Various self - protection systems are also offered within the business area , such as counter measure dispenser systems , sensor s and jammers . The business area also offer display systems , head up displays , monitoring systems and various other avionics related solutions . Security and Defence Solutions . The security and defence solutions area develop systems within the civil security sector as well as training and simulation solutions . The offer include Airborne early warning systems and C4ISTAR systems . The training and simulation operations of the area offer tactical training and live - firing solutions for military and civil security use . Support and Services . Support and Services offer maintenance , integrated support solutions , field facilities , logistics and regional aircraft maintenance . Saab Aircraft Leasing leases and resells Saab aircraft to airlines . It completed 30 transactions in 2010 . Saab Barracuda LLC . The Saab Barracuda LLC facility in Lillington , North Carolina , manufactures signature management products and provides customized services . Foremost among the camouflage , concealment and deception products is the Ultra Lightweight Camouflage Net System ( ULCANS ) which provides multi - spectral protection against visual , near infrared , thermal infrared and broadband radar detection . ULCANS is fielded with the U . S . Army and other Department of Defense organizations and is available in both woodland and desert versions . Saab Barracuda is one of only two qualified suppliers of ULCANS in North America , and currently holds a competed $ 1 . 76 B contract , along with GMA Cover Corp .