The Gripen multirole fighter aircraft, developed by Saab, was first flown in December 1988 and
entered operational service with the Swedish Air Force in 1997. It is planned that the
Gripen will replace all current variants of the Viggen and Draken combat aircraft.
A joint venture company, Gripen International,
has been set up by Saab and BAE Systems to market the Gripen for export markets.
BAE Systems is building the main landing gear unit and wing attachment unit.
The Gripen demo aircraft achieved a supersonic speed level or above Mach 1.2 in January 2009
without using an afterburner, thus proving its higher range and fuel-savings advantages.
JAS 39C is the single-seat batch 3 and export standard version, which was first delivered to
the Swedish Air Force in September 2002. JAS 39C has color cockpit displays,
an onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS), and in-flight refueling capability.
JAS 39D is upgraded similarly to the JAS 39C but is a two-seater variant.
A replacement for all Viggen and Draken combat aircraft variants, Saab’s Gripen
can perform an extensive range of air-to-air, air-to-surface, and reconnaissance missions.
It can travel at a speed of 2,470 kilometers (1,534 miles) per hour.
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration has awarded a $53 million contract to conglomerate
Saab to modernize the country’s JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighter aircraft.
As part of the agreement, the company will provide capability
improvements to the aircraft and maintain its operational relevance until the mid-2030s.
Saab will also provide cost-effective solutions to help sustain the Gripen for a longer period.
According to Saab official Jonas Hjelm,
the contract is important because it will ensure the continued operation of the combat fighter,
which serves as the “backbone” of the Swedish armed forces.
Sweden currently operates more than 90 Gripen C/D fourth-generation multirole fighters.
Countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Thailand also use the aircraft
The aircraft carries air-to-air missiles such as the Raytheon AIM-120B AMRAAM
and the Lockheed Martin Sidewinder AIM-9L. It is also equipped with the Ericsson PS-05
long-range multi-purpose pulse-Doppler radar that features long-range search,
multi-target track-while-scan, and multiple priority target tracking capabilities.
“Gripen C-series is a true swing-role fighter, designed with smart technical solutions,”
Saab said on its website. “It is built to adapt to new technologies as they
become available and to counter evolving threats as they arise.”