WEAPONS
The Gripen has seven external hardpoints for carrying payloads: one
at each wingtip, two under each wing and one on the fuselage
centreline.
The air-to-air missiles include MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics)
MICA, Raytheon AIM-120B AMRAAM and Lockheed Martin/Raytheon
Sidewinder AIM-9L (Swedish Air Force Designation RB74). Sidewinder,
mounted on the wingtips, is an all-aspect attack, short-range
missile for enhanced dogfight capability. Air-to-surface missiles
include the radar-guided Saab RBS15F anti-ship missile and Raytheon
Maverick missile. Later versions of the aircraft for Sweden will be
armed with the short-range BGT IRIS-T air-to-air missile and the
MBDA Meteor Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile. IRIS-T is
scheduled to enter service in 2005 and Meteor in 2010. The Saab
Bofors/MBDA Taurus KEPD 350 long-range standoff missile, with a
range of 350km, has been successfully flight tested on the
Gripen.
The internally mounted 27mm Mauser high-energy gun can operate in
an automatic radar-guided aiming mode. The stand-off dispenser is
the DWF39 from EADS (formerly DaimlerChrysler Aerospace) and
Bofors. The Bofors ARAK 70 rocket pod is cleared for carriage on
the Gripen.
COUNTERMEASURES
Saab Avionics is responsible for the EWS 39 electronic warfare
suite, which has been ordered by the Swedish Air Force. EWS 39 is
an integrated EW system that provides radar warning, electronic
support measures and chaff and flare decoy dispensers.
SENSORS
The Ericsson PS-05 long-range multi-purpose pulse Doppler radar has
air-to air operating modes covering long-range search, multi-target
track-while-scan, multiple priority target tracking, air combat
quick search modes, raid assessment and beyond visual range (BVR)
missile mid-course updates. The air-to-surface modes include
long-range search/target identification, multiple priority target
tracking, high-resolution, real beam mapping, air-to-surface
ranging and Doppler beam sharpening (DBS).
The aircraft is equipped with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR)
sensor and will have the Saab IR-Otis infrared search and track
system (IRST).
Nine Swedish Air Force Gripens are being fitted with the SaabTech
Modular Reconnaissance Pod, which includes a Recon/Optical CA270
infrared sensor. The system will enter service in 2006.
COMMUNICATIONS
The aircraft has VHF/UHF transmitters and receivers from SaabTech
Vectronics, and a Thales TSC 2000 identification friend or foe
(IFF) system. An air-to-air data link allows real-time exchange of
tactical data within and between co-operating air units. In the
attack and reconnaissance role, the data link allows radar-derived
surface data to be transferred from one Gripen to a group of
radar-silent attacking aircraft.
ENGINE
The RM12engine, supplied by Volvo Aero, is a development of the GE
F404 engine from General Electric. A digital engine control system
automatically monitors the engine parameters and automatically
switches on the back-up systems if required. A condition monitoring
system registers the flight data. The air-to-air refuelling probe
is retracted into the aircraft to retain the aerodynamic profile.
The longer flight times achieved by using air-to-air refuelling
results in the pilot needing a larger oxygen supply, so an on-board
oxygen generating system (OBOGS) has been installed.
From: http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/gripen/
