Saab plans Air Force jet facility near Purdue campus

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Swedish manufacturer Saab says it will open an Indiana manufacturing site as part of its production of a new Air Force training jet. Company officials announced Wednesday plans to spend $37 million on the facility at Purdue University's Discovery Park District...

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Swedish manufacturer Saab says it will open an Indiana manufacturing site as part of its production of a new Air Force training jet.

Company officials announced Wednesday plans to spend $37 million on the facility at Purdue University's Discovery Park District Aerospace in West Lafayette. The move comes after Saab and Boeing won a $9.2 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force last year to build at least 351 T-X training jets.

Saab says construction on the facility is expected to start next year and that it could eventually have 300 workers, including jobs for assembly operators, airplane mechanics, manufacturing engineering and management.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels says Saab will bring more research partnerships with the university's faculty and boost the region's economy.

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