Saab looks to expand in space sector with new partnerships

HELSINKI, Sept 24 (Reuters) — Swedish defence group Saab said on Thursday it wants to take a broader role in the space industry by combining technologies and services from different companies into integrated systems, signing cooperation agreements with SSC Space, OHB Sweden and Ericsson. Saab said growing reliance on space-based solutions in communications, navigation, surveillance and early-warning systems was creating business opportunities for Swedish companies. "With space becoming increasingly important for defence and security, Saab wants to contribute to a stronger and more coherent Swedish capability in this domain," Head of Strategy and Technology Marcus Wandt said. The cooperation agreements cover areas including satellite systems, launch infrastructure, ground services, mission support and communications technologies. The companies did not disclose the financial details of the agreements. (Reporting by Essi Lehto. Editing by Mark Potter) ((essi.lehto@thomsonreuters.com; +358 50 541 2375)