Saab JAS 39 Gripen (Griffin)

As with all of Sweden's locally-produced military hardware, the JAS 39 Gripen is no exception to the attention paid to the needs of the nation's military. Regarded as the first of the Fourth Generation series of fighters anywhere, the JAS 39 Gripen represents one of the best engineered and designed fighters in the skies today - some regard it as the most capable as well.

With leading partner SAAB, nothing has been spared in developing the Gripen (or Griffin) when it comes to detail. The Gripen is built on a delta wing design that sits far aft of the main fuselage. Forward-placed canards are fully reactive and supply the airframe with stability at slower speeds and agility at higher speeds. A reported twenty to thirty percent of the body-covering material is made from carbon fibers and the system as a whole is said to maintain some stealth characteristics in the way of diminutive radar and heat signatures.

The base model is piloted by one crewman in an ergonomically-designed cockpit setting. The cockpit features three multi-function computer displays and a wide-angled heads up display. The fighter is designed with versatility in mind, thusly the system can be switched from a fighter, reconnaissance or strike role on the fly - allowing the pilot to accomplish all three types of sorties whenever needed.

To promote the idea of national defense, the Gripen need only 2,625 feet of runaway space to take off or land, thus utilizing any road in the country to mount attacks or defend in the event of an all-scale invasion. The system as a whole is designed to be minimal to maintain in terms of battlefield conditions thusly a single technician and some enlisted hands can keep and make ready the aircraft for flight in under fifteen minutes of preparation.

The Gripen is fitted with an Ericsson PS-05/A multi-mode pulse-Doppler radar system capable of tracking multiple targets at one time. The targeting and communications system in highly integrated with other Gripens (with the Tactical Information Data Link System) allowing for a clear line of communication between flight groups for added versatility.

The airframe is built around a single Swedish-licensed Volvo Aero Corporation / General Electric RM-12 turbojet engine with afterburn capable (based on the GE F404-GE-400 turbofan). This powerplant enables the aircraft to reach speeds of Mach 2.0. The lightweight composite airframe also help to maintain agility and works well with the integrated fly-by-wire computer system.

In terms of export, South Africa is to be the first receiver of the Gripen aircraft beginning in 2007. Several other countries have expressed interest in the system including Hungary, which has leased over a dozen Gripen for its air force.

The JAS 39 Gripen represents everything that the Fourth Generation aircraft should be. Speed, power and stealth capabilities have not been spared and should go a long way into promoting the defense of the country for decades to come.

Gripens will reportedly replace the aging Saab Viggens and Saab Drakens in frontline service.

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Last Revision: 9/8/2009