HiQ to maintain Gripen simulators

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- HiQ International has received a new order from the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration is for the maintenance of JAS 39 Gripen pilot training simulators.

The simulators, which are used to train both Swedish and foreign pilots to fly the JAS 39 Gripen, are developed in parallel with the aircraft.

Simulators are used for flight training and tactical training of pilots and also for training technical personnel.

"HiQ has worked with FMV and the Swedish armed forces for more than a decade and a half," said Anders Nilsson, managing director of HiQ Malardalen. "This latest assignment involves developing systems further and integrating systems in the best, most cost-effective way in order to satisfy current training requirements for JAS training simulators.

"As I see it, the agreement with FMV demonstrates how much our client values the quality and expertise that we offer not just in the development of training simulators, but also in modeling and simulation. We are also very proud of our close partnership with the rest of the defense industry in this area -- a partnership that we have deepened further in recent years.

"Training simulators for the JAS 39 Gripen represent advanced technology that requires knowledge not only of the domain concerned but also specialist expertise in technical communication, integration, testing and simulation -- which in our case are enhanced by a close working relationship," he said.

HiQ, which has headquarters in Stockholm, is an information technology and management consultancy company focusing on high-tech solutions in the fields of communications, software development and simulation technology.