SAAB (originally an acronym for "Svenska Aeroplan AB") was founded as a Swedish aircraft industry in 1937 in the city of Linköping in Sweden. After World War II, the company sought ways in which to diversify its business and started to manufacture automobiles in the early 1950s (in the city of Trollhättan) and computers (Datasaab) in the late 1950s. Later Saab also acquired the truck maker Scania and for some time the company was called Saab-Scania.


Aircraft
Currently, the main focus of the aircraft production is fighter aircraft, with the recent JAS 39 Gripen as the flagship model. Saab has been making airplanes since the 1930s, and predecessors to the Gripen were among others 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 airplanes has all been made in Linköping, Sweden.

In 1995 Saab Military Aircraft and BAE SYSTEMS formed the joint venture company Saab-BAe Gripen AB, with the goal of adapting, manufacturing, marketing and supporting Gripen internationally.

BAE SYSTEMS designed an improved wing, which they then manufactured and are set to produce 45% of currently planned export airframes. Saab Military Aircraft is responsible for the overall 'aircraft system' including basic aircraft development and production, and testing and delivery.

In 1998 BAE SYSTEMS acquired 35% of Saab Military Aircraft.


Models
Saab 17 (bomber)
Saab 21 (push-prop)
Saab 29 Tunnan
Saab 32 Lansen
Saab 35 Draken
Saab 37 Viggen
Saab 39 Gripen
Saab 90 Scandia
Saab 91 Safir
Saab 340
Saab 2000

Datasaab
The Datasaab company was a result partly of the need of heavy computational power for the aircraft development, partly of the science-fictional idea to make a computer that would be small enough to mount in an airplane as navigational equipment. During the 1960s several successful and advanced systems was developed and sold to several European countries (used in e.g. banking). The aircraft computer (CK37) was achieved in 1971 in the Viggen. The now less successful company was sold off in 1975 to Sperry Univac, while flight computer development was kept in Saab.

Space & Military Technology
Saab Ericsson Space is a joint venture with Ericsson, designing the on board computers used in the Ariane 5 rockets used by the European Space Agency. Saab Missiles develops military applications.