JAS 39 Gripen is growing up....

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Instead for starting a new thread, I looked this one up....

Now, on the JAS 39 Gripen NG, by just moving the main landing gear, they manage to squeeze another 2 central points (instead for just the single one) and add another metric tonne of fuel. I don't know much, well feck all about aicraft design, but is this good engineering or?

How much is a metric tonne in fuel?
 
I'm confused by this thread. It appears to me that the Gripen is basically the equivalent to the F-20 and is rather old technology when it come to stealth. If so, why would any country pay money to buy more targets. I would guess a country with Gripens would be assigned second string missions. The F-35 has very good stealth and stealth is costly. Am I missing something here?
 
9 July 2012, in News....

The Gripen NG test aircraft is now flying with a SELEX Galileo Raven ES-05 AESA radar installed, following extensiv testing with an earlier AESA prototype.

Raven ES-05 is a high performance Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) fire control radar designed for the Saab Gripen NG multi role fighter that builds on over 60 years of SELEX Galileo's fire control radar experience. It has been designed in close collaboration with Saab and is a vital part of the Gripen next generation multi functional sensor system.

The sensor suite includes active and passive sensors, integrated for central sensor command and sensor fusion. This will significantly increase the multirole capability and sensor performance against future threats and more complex scenarios.

The Raven ES-05 AESA radar features an innovative roll-repositionable AESA antenna to provide a full ±100º field of regard that improves the capability for maximum situational awareness and platform survivability. This allows the pilot to maintain the missile datalink and turn away whilst the scenario continues and the ES-05 aquires other targets and tasks.

The highly reliable AESA transmit-receive module technology incorporated in Raven ES-05 significantly improves system availability leading to reduced lifecycle costs. SELEX Galileo AESA Radars delivering greater performance and higher reliability than comparable mechanically scanned radars and offers all the advantages of multi-function AESA arrays with significant through life cost savings.

The Raven ES-05 Radar has been designed from the outset to meet worldwide fire control radar detection and target tracking needs combined into one efficient modular system. It builds on common modular units for a scaleable system architecture to meet the needs of fire control and intercept radar operational requirements whilst remaining resistant to radar countermeasures.

The AESA antenna is coupled to fully digital multi-channel exciter/receiver and processor Line Replaceable Units (LRUs). These provide a comprehensive mode suite which includes air-to-air, air-to-surface, interleaved and support functions which can be readily adapted or extended in software to meet future needs.

The radar makes use of AESA alert-confirm techniques to confirm targets on first detection. This combined with optimised AESA waveforms results in increased track initiation ranges, whilst simultaneously maintaining situational awareness. The instantaneous scanning ability of the AESA also provides a comprehensive suite of interleaved air and surface modes, thus providing the pilot with all round situational awareness.

At the core of the AESA radar design is the ability to tolerate individual item failure. Component failures in the array result in graceful performance degradation rather than complete system failure, delivering high operational availability when compared with conventional radar systems. Significant cost benefits over the life of the system are realised due to the high reliability, increased availability and reduced maintenance requirements.
 
SAAB SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES TEST WITH IRST FOR GRIPEN E...


Defence and security company Saab has successfully performed the first flight with the new sensor IRST (Infra Red Search and Track) which will feature in Gripen E, according to schedule. The IRST does not emit a signal and can, without revealing the aircraft's own position, silently detect, track and identify all types of targets.

"The first flight in the Gripen E test aircraft with IRST has been performed with very good results. Multiple targets were detected, tracked and identified and the system works perfectly as expected. IRST is a new sensor on Gripen, which allows pilots to see great distances in several directions," says Saab's Wing Commander Flying Hans Einerth.

The purpose of the test flight was to verify IRST functions and the integration onto the Gripen E aircraft. The integration and development work is progressing according to schedule.

IRST is a new sensor and located in the front of the aircraft. It does not emit a signal and can, without revealing the aircraft's own position, silently detect, track and identify all types of targets and is very useful against aerial targets with low radar cross section, such as stealth aircraft. The sensor is looking forward in a wide sector registering heat emissions from other aircraft, helicopters and from objects on the ground and sea surface.

Gripen E has significant performance improvements compared to previous versions, including a stronger engine, longer range, more weapons, new electronic radar and more advanced avionics. Today, Gripen is the backbone of five nations' air defences: Sweden, South Africa, Czech Republic, Hungary and Thailand. In addition, The Empire Test Pilot School (ETPS) in the UK uses Gripen in its training programme for future test pilots.
 
Found this....
Boeing And Saab To Propose Gripen For T-X
Bill Sweetman
(LONDON) Sep 11, 2013

Boeing and Saab will announce "in weeks rather than months" that they will team up to offer the JAS 39 Gripen for the U.S. Air Force's T-X future trainer requirement, according to sources familiar with the deal. Saab is apparently confident that the two companies will be able to undercut the cost of the closest rival contender, the Lockheed Martin/Korea Aerospace Industries T-50.

Other details of the deal are being closely held. The T-X program, aimed at acquiring some 350 trainers to replace the Northrop Grumman T-38, has been on hold due to budget cuts but is expected to restart in the 2015 budget.

The move is a major change to the line-up for the competition, for which Northrop Grumman has teamed with BAE Systems, offering the Hawk, and Alenia has joined forces with General Dynamics to promote the M-346.

Until now, Boeing had stated its intention to offer an all-new aircraft. However, a link with Saab became a possibility when the Swedish government launched development of the new JAS 39E version at the beginning of this year. Although the Swedish plan is formally contingent on Switzerland confirming its order for the fighter (in a referendum that is expected early next year), the Swiss deal has continued to pass milestones on the way to that decision. The JAS 39E is due to enter service in 2018.

Sweden and Switzerland both plan to order only JAS 39E single-seaters, but the two-seat 39F is a straightforward development.

The JAS 39F is fractionally larger and more powerful than the T-50, but also is more modern, with a wide-screen cockpit like that of the F-35 and a fully integrated helmet-mounted display. It is expected to cost less to acquire than the previous C/D variant and has been designed for easy maintenance and low operating costs. Swiss air force leaders say that its cost per flight hour is expected to be half that of the Typhoon and Rafale, its competitor for the Swiss order.

While no formal T-X requirement has been issued, Saab and Boeing's action indicates that they believe any requirement under which the T-50 qualifies also could be met by the Gripen.

One industry source notes that a T-X Gripen also would be suitable for aggressor training, or as a companion trainer for F-22s and F-35s — which, unlike earlier USAF fighters, are not being acquired in two-seat versions. (The USAF has added T-38s to F-22 units in that role.) Beyond that, a source close to USAF leadership notes that "it is not a long step to an affordable air defense fighter to replace (Air National) Guard F-15/F-16 units."

Boeing issued a statement that neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the Saab deal.

Update: On Sept. 12, Lennart Sindahl, Saab´s execuctive vice president and head of Saab's Business Area Aeronautics, sought to clarify the company's position regarding a potential teaming arrangement with Boeing on the T-X program using a Gripen derivative.

"With the new development of the Gripen E version we expect it to remain in that position for many years to come. But a great fighter aircraft does not necessarily make a good trainer. We remain focused on the continued development of the Gripen E and the fighter will never be a trainer," Sindahl says. "As we stated previously, Saab always keeps its doors open to new business opportunities and if any of those should be further realized, they would be announced at the appropriate time."

It's roughly a year old but....is there any truth behind it?
 
I do like the idea of it being an affordable replacement for the ANG units but it is a big leap to become a standard advanced trainer. Operating costs for fuel alone have strangled the deployment of supersonic trainers in large numbers. I can see it as a lead in trainer for the F22 units, the T38 must be creaking a bit in that role and its handling is a generation or two behind the F22
 
Am I missing something here?
Click to expand...

Pretty much, Dave. Operators of the Gripen are not likely to come up against aircraft with the capabilities of the F-22 or F-35. It's not what your allies are flying that you need to worry about.
 
Its nice to see SAAB seriously trying to get orders. The Vigen and Draken were probably amongst the best planes that never sold, I know a small number were but I am talking seriously trying.
 
A pair of colourful tails...

Czech JAS 39 Gripen.jpg


Photo, Czech Air Force
 
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