JAS 39 Gripen
The JAS 39 Gripen is the result of a joint development by Saab
Military Aircraft, Ericsson Microwave Systems, Volvo Aero
Corporation and Celsius Aerotech. It is a fourth generation,
multi-role combat aircraft. The Gripen fighter combines new
knowledge-based, software-controlled avionics systems; modern
materials; advanced aerodynamic design; a well-proven engine and
fully-integrated system to produce a highly-capable, true
multi-role combat aircraft. The Gripen is the first Swedish
aircraft that can be used for interception, ground-attack and
reconnaissance (hence the Swedish abbreviation JAS -- Fighter (J),
Attack (A) and Reconnaissance (S) in Swedish) and is now
successively replacing the Draken and the Viggen.
In 1978 the Swedish Government decided that the Swedish Air Force
needed a new multirole aircraft for the turn of the century. At the
same time as the Swedish aerospace industry was defining a new
project, the Air Force made an evaluation of existing foreign
aircraft such as the American F-16 and F-18. After an evaluation
process, Parliament decided in June 1982 to go ahead with the
Swedish project and the Defence Materiel Administration signed a
contract for development of the JAS 39 Gripen, and the final flight
tests were completed in December of 1996.
A total of 204 aircraft in three batches have been ordered for the
Swedish Air Force. The first batch of 30 aircraft has been
completed. Deliveries from the second batch are ongoing, and
comprises 96 one-seater and 14 two-seater aircraft. About 60
Gripens are in service with the Swedish Air Force. In June 1997, a
third batch of 64 Gripens was approved by the Swedish Government
and ordered by the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). This will
take the total for the Swedish Air Force to 204 aircraft, including
28 two-seaters. Production of batch thre is scheduled for
2002-2007.
Gripen offers high agility, advanced target acquisition systems -
including a powerful multi-role radar, modern weapons, low
environmental signatures and a comprehensive electronic warfare
(EW) suite. The JAS39 Gripen system is designed to counter all
current and future threats. The aircraft has been developed for the
Swedish Air Force by the Industry Group JAS (SAAB, Ericsson, Volvo
Aero and FFV Aerotech) in close co-operation with the Swedish
Defence Material Administration (FMV). In partnership with SwedenÂ’s
Saab, British Aerospace is engaged in a number of marketing
campaigns for the highly capable Gripen fourth generation combat
aircraft. Engineering activity associated with improving the
operability of the aircraft in the export market is now
underway.
In 1995 Saab and British Aerospace (BAe) signed an agreement for
the joint marketing of the Gripen. Hereby, Saab gained access to
the global sales organization of British Aerospace, as well as to
its governmental support in international marketing. British
Aerospace will adapt the export version of the Gripen to NATO
standards, and also produce certain subsystems for the aircraft.
The agreement, which followed on more than a decade of cooperation
between the two companies, became the basis for a consolidation
between Saab and British Aerospace. It also paves the way for
SaabCs deepened integration with the European aerospace industry.
Saab intends to be an active player along with British Aerospace,
Aerospatiale (France), DASA (Germany) and CASA (Spain) in the
creation of an integrated European defense and aerospace industry -
Eurospace.
In November 1998, South Africa announced that it will probably buy
28 Gripens. The value of the order is 12 billion SEK (1.5 billion
USD) and the contract was expected to be signed in May or June of
1999. During the coming 10-15 years, Saab hopes to export at least
400 aircraft, on a total market for fighter aircraft estimated at
2,000 aircraft. The Gripen is currently being offered to Chile, the
Philippines, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria and Brazil.
In August 2002 the Czech government announced that after paying
bills to recover from the devastating summer floods, it would no
longer be able to afford to buy 24 Jas-39 Gripen fighters from BAE
Systems/Saab at a cost of about $2 billion. The Czech Republic's
fleet of MiG-21s will reach the end of its service lifespan in
2004. US officials have offered used F-16s to the Czechs. Another
candidate, Poland, had previously announced that it will chose the
Boeing F 18 Hornet.
An important factor when offering the Gripen for export, is the
aircraft missile system. Currently, the Gripens used by the Swedish
Air Force are armed with AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9 Sidewinder, the Saab
Dynamics RBS 15 for ship targets, and the Maverick ground attack
missile. Saab Dynamics cooperates with the major European missile
manufacturers in the development of new air-to-air missiles for the
Eurofighter, the Rafale and the Gripen. The two main projects
currently underway are the Meteor and the IRIS-T. The Meteor is a
radar-guided, medium range (10-120 km.) air-to-air missile, which
will compete with future versions of the Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM.
The Meteor program features Matra BAe Dynamics, Saab Dynamics,
Alenia Difesa, Marconi and German LFK. The IRIS-T is an IR-guided,
short-range air-to-air missile, primarily funded by Germany for the
Eurofighter. The project group includes Bodenseewerk Geratechnik
and Saab Dynamics.
Specifications
Wing span 8,0 m
Length overall 12,0 m
Weight Approx. 6.500 kg
Max take off weight Approx. 12500 kg
Armament Gun, Missiles, Bombs, Rockets and Stand off
dispenser
* internally-mounted 27mm gun
* Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
* Sidewinder or new generation Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles
(SRAAM).
* Sea-Skimming anti-ship missiles.
* Advanced dispenser weapon systems (DWS).
* Air-to-Ground weapons (Maverick, Rocket pods).
* Active/passive Electronic Warfare (EW) systems.
* Internal and external reconnaissance systems.
* Three external fuel tanks.
Powerplant Volvo Aero RM 12 (General Electric F404J)
Thrust 80,0 kN (18.000 lbs)
Max Speed Supersonic at all altitude
Maximum Speed Mach 1 15 at low altitude, Mach 2.0 at high
altitude.
Climb Less than 2 minutes from brake release to 10km (33,000ft),
approx. 3 minutes to 14km (46,000ft),
Level Acceleration Approx. 30 seconds from Mach 0.5 to Mach 1.1 at
low altitude.
Turn Performance Sustained - approx. 20 4eglsec. Instantaneous -
approx. 30 deg/sec.
Max. Load Factor 9g maximum sustained Nz
