Saab Grintek Defence moves into mining sector with launch order for mobile medical system

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Saab’s South African division, Saab Grintek Defence, is diversifying its portfolio through a launch order for a mobile medical system for Anglo American’s Kumbra Iron Ore business unit in the Northern Cape.

“This order is an important breakthrough for Saab in the private mining sector in the Sub Saharan region. This first order is to deliver on the requirement to design, manufacture, supply and deliver mobile medical systems to Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen mine in the Northern Cape…The mobile clinic system will not only provide basic clinic services, but also extend its services to include amongst others, doctors, dentists, optometric services, basic theatre and basic medicine dispensing,” Saab said.
“I’m sure that we can see more activity going into the private sector such as the mining business as it is a large employer in South Africa,” said Anne Lewis-Olsson, Vice President Communication Sub Sahara Africa at Saab Grintek Defence.

Saab said the aim of the mobile medical system is to provide a system that can be maintained easily in remote locations in South Africa where there are limited medical skills available. The system will also meet the conditions of the harsh environment of the Northern Cape and move between locations on unpaved roads that exist in the region.
“The mining industry is a large employer in South Africa and these mobile medical systems will provide instant medical services to the employees and rural community where the mine functions in, where otherwise they would have to travel long distances to receive medical attention. With Saab’s experience and knowledge as a system integrator we are confident that we can successfully deliver a system with high functionality, reliability, availability and sustainable maintainability. It will be providing round-the -clock care when time is critical”, said Magnus Lewis-Olsson, CEO Saab Grintek Defence.

Integration will take place at Saab Grintek Defence in Centurion, South Africa. Field facilities, camp solutions and mobile field hospitals have been part of the Saab portfolio for some time, but this new order is the first contract through Saab Grintek Defence, according to Mrs Lewis-Olsson.
“Saab can offer a range of services designed to facilitate and secure the buildup of any field facility – from the provisioning of accommodation, water, electricity and communications networks to the overall operational responsibility, maintenance support and controlled termination of operations at the end of a mission. Saab has developed and combined field hospitals and camp (fixed/mobile/transportable) solutions to minimize cost and maximize functionality,” she said.

Saab has years of experience providing camp solutions – for instance, the company is today present in Somalia with a number of employees doing mainly third party maintenance for the UN. The company also has a camp there to support its deployed staff. Saab also operates other camps elsewhere in Africa, such as a major training camp for the British Army in Kenya. Products and services offered to the UN include medical care, tactical UAVs, self-protection systems as well as field infrastructure and air transport services.

Saab’s turnkey solutions for deployed units include guard towers, water supply, sewage and waste handling, accommodation offices and ablutions, kitchen facilities, power generation and communications. “Our camps solutions adapt to complete requirements and hostile climates. Saab’s solutions are designed to suit multiple purposes, which includes, military, peacekeeping, and civil emergency,” Mrs Lewis-Olsson said, adding that it could provide field facilities in response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

Civil security

Saab Grintek Defence’s main focus is on defence, particularly electronic warfare and self-protection, but the company also offering Saab’s large portfolio of products and services for the civil security and private markets. “Regarding Saab’s focus on civil security we see this market growing as the security budget just in South Africa is several times that of the defence budget,” she said.

Saab has invested in a civil security demonstration centre at its premises in Centurion, where interested agencies can see how their operations can be made more efficient and effective. Saab has devised the SAFE security management system, which can provide effective command and control for security and emergency services by linking responders and vehicles to command centres, all sharing a common situation picture.