Saab JAS 39 Gripen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_JAS_39_Gripen

also see https://news.yahoo.com/dont-billions...020000750.html

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen (IPA: ['gri?p?n]; English: griffin) is a light
single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace
company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the
Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet). The Gripen has a delta wing and canard
configuration with relaxed stability design and fly-by-wire flight controls. It
is powered by the Volvo RM12, and has a top speed of Mach 2. Later aircraft are
modified for NATO interoperability standards and to undertake air to air
refuelling.

In 1979, the Swedish government began development studies for an aircraft
capable of fighter, attack and reconnaissance missions to replace the Saab 35
Draken and 37 Viggen. A new design from Saab was selected and developed as the
JAS 39, first flying in 1988. Following two crashes during flight development
and subsequent alterations to the aircraft's flight control software, the Gripen
entered service with the Swedish Air Force in 1996. Upgraded variants, featuring
more advanced avionics and adaptations for longer mission times, began entering
service in 2003.

To market the aircraft internationally, Saab formed partnerships and
collaborative efforts with overseas aerospace companies. One example of such
efforts was Gripen International, a joint partnership between Saab and BAE
Systems formed in 2001. Gripen International was responsible for marketing the
aircraft, and was heavily involved in the successful export of the type to South
Africa; the organisation was later dissolved amidst allegations of bribery being
employed to secure foreign interest and sales. On the export market, the Gripen
has achieved moderate success in sales to nations in Central Europe, South
Africa and Southeast Asia; bribery has been suspected in some of these
procurements, but authorities closed the investigation in 2009.

A further version, designated Gripen JAS 39E/F, is beginning deliveries to the
Swedish and Brazilian air forces as of 2019; it has previously been referred to
as Gripen NG or Super-JAS. The changes include the adoption of a new powerplant,
the General Electric F414G, an active electronically scanned array radar, and
significantly increased internal fuel capacity. Saab has proposed other
derivatives, including a navalised Gripen Maritime for carrier operations and an
optionally manned aircraft for unmanned operations. Sweden and Brazil have
ordered the Gripen E/F and Switzerland initially selected it for procurement. As
of January 2020, 306 Gripens have been built.

Controversies, scandals, and costs

Developing an advanced multi-role fighter was a major undertaking for Sweden.
The predecessor Viggen, despite being less advanced and less expensive, had been
criticised for occupying too much of Sweden's military budget and was branded "a
cuckoo in the military nest" by critics as early as 1971. At the 1972 party
congress of the Social Democrats, the dominant party in Swedish politics since
the 1950s, a motion was passed to stop any future projects to develop advanced
military aircraft. In 1982, the Gripen project passed in the Riksdag by a margin
of 176 for and 167 against, with the entire Social Democratic party voting
against the proposal due to demands for more studies. A new bill was introduced
in 1983 and a final approval was given in April 1983 with the condition that the
project was to have a predetermined fixed-price contract, a decision that would
later be criticised as unrealistic due to later cost overruns.

According to Annika Brändström, in the aftermath of the 1989 and 1993 crashes,
the Gripen risked a loss of credibility and the weakening of its public image.
There was public speculation that failures to address technical problems exposed
in the first crash had directly contributed to the second crash and thus had
been avoidable. Brändström observed that media elements had called for greater
public accountability and explanation of the project; ill-informed media
analysis had also distorted public knowledge of the Gripen. The sitting
Conservative government quickly endorsed and supported the Gripen – Minister of
Defense Anders Björck issued a public reassurance that the project was very
positive for Sweden. In connection to the Gripen's marketing efforts to multiple
countries, including South Africa, Austria, the Czechia and Hungary, there were
reports of widespread bribery and corruption by BAE Systems and Saab. In 2007,
Swedish journalists reported that BAE had paid bribes equivalent to millions of
dollars. Following criminal investigations in eight countries, only one
individual in Austria, Alfons Mensdorf-Pouilly, was prosecuted for bribery. The
scandal tarnished the international reputation of the Gripen, BAE Systems, Saab,
and Sweden.

The Gripen's cost has been subject to frequent attention and speculation. In
2008, Saab announced reduced earnings for that year, partly attributing this to
increased marketing costs for the aircraft. In 2008, Saab disputed Norway's cost
calculations for the Gripen NG as overestimated and in excess of real world
performance with existing operators. A 2007 report by the European Union
Institute for Security Studies stated the total research and development costs
of Gripen were €1.84 billion. According to a study by Jane's Information Group
in 2012, the Gripen's operational cost was the lowest among several modern
fighters; it was estimated at $4,700 per flight hour. The Swedish Ministry of
Defense estimated the cost of the full system, comprising 60 Gripen E/F, at SEK
90 billion distributed over the period 2013–42. The Swedish Armed Forces
estimated that maintaining 100 C/D-model aircraft until 2042 would cost SEK 60
billion, while buying aircraft from a foreign supplier would cost SEK 110
billion.


Role
Fighter, attack, and reconnaissance aircraft

National origin
Sweden

Manufacturer
Saab Group

Design group
Industrigruppen JAS, FMV

First flight
9 December 1988

Introduction
9 June 1996

Status
In service

Primary users
Swedish Air Force
South African Air Force
Czech Air Force
Hungarian Air Force

Produced
1987–present

Number built
306

Program cost
US$ 13.54 billion (2006)

Unit cost

US$ 30–60 million for JAS 39C

The Swedish Air Force placed a total order for 204 Gripens in three batches. The
first delivery occurred on 8 June 1993, when 39102 was handed over to the
Flygvapnet during a ceremony at Linköping; the last was handed over on 13
December 1996. The air force received its first Batch II example on 19 December
1996. Instead of the fixed-price agreement of Batch I, Batch II aircraft were
paid as a "target price" concept: any cost underruns or overruns would be split
between FMV and Saab.

The JAS 39 entered service with the Skaraborg Air Force Wing (F 7) on 1 November
1997. The final Batch three aircraft was delivered to FMV on 26 November 2008.
This was accomplished at 10% less than the agreed-upon price for the batch,
putting the JAS 39C flyaway cost at under US$30 million. This batch of Gripens
was equipped for in-flight refuelling from specially equipped TP84s. In 2007, a
programme was started to upgrade 31 of the air force's JAS 39A/B fighters to JAS
39C/Ds. The SwAF had a combined 134 JAS 39s in service in January 2013. In March
2015, the Swedish Air Force received its final JAS 39C.

On 29 March 2011, the Swedish parliament approved the Swedish Air Force for a
3-month deployment to support the UN-mandated no-fly zone over Libya. Deployment
of eight Gripens, ten pilots, and other personnel began on 2 April. On 8 June
2011, the Swedish government announced an agreement to extend the deployment for
five of the Gripens. By October 2011, Gripens had flown more than 650 combat
missions, almost 2,000 flight hours, and delivered approximately 2,000
reconnaissance reports to NATO. Journalist Tim Hepher suggested that the Libyan
operations might stimulate sales of the Gripen and other aircraft.

Specifications

JAS 39C/D

General characteristics
Crew: 1 JAS 39C / 2 JAS 39D
Length: 14.1 m (46 ft 3 in) JAS 39C
14.8 m (49 ft) JAS 39DWingspan: 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in)
Height: 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 30 m2 (320 sq ft)
Empty weight: 6,800 kg (14,991 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 14,000 kg (30,865 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Volvo RM12 afterburning turbofan engine, 54 kN (12,000 lbf)
thrust dry, 80.5 kN (18,100 lbf) with afterburner

Performance
Maximum speed: 2,460 km/h (1,530 mph, 1,330 kn) +
Maximum speed: Mach 2
Combat range: 800 km (500 mi, 430 nmi)
Ferry range: 3,200 km (2,000 mi, 1,700 nmi)
Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)
g limits: +9 -3
Wing loading: 283 kg/m2 (58 lb/sq ft)
Thrust/weight: 0.97

Takeoff distance: 500 m (1,640 ft)
Landing distance: 600 m (1,969 ft)

Armament

Guns: 1 × 27 mm Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon with 120 rounds (single-seat models
only)
Hardpoints: 8 – one dedicated for FLIR / ECM / LD / Reconn pod. Two hardpoints
under the fuselage, two under and one on the tip of each wing. with a capacity
of 5 300 kg (11 700 lb),with provisions to carry combinations of: Rockets: 4 ×
rocket pods, 13.5 cm rockets
Missiles:
6 × IRIS-T (Rb.98) or AIM-9 Sidewinder (Rb.74) or A-Darter
4 × MBDA Meteor, AIM-120 AMRAAM (Rb.99) or MBDA MICA
4 × AGM-65 Maverick (Rb.75)
2 × KEPD.350
2 × Rbs.15F anti-ship missile

Bombs:
4 × GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb
2 × Bk.90 cluster bomb
8 × Mark 82 bombs



Avionics

Radar: PS-05/A Pulse-Doppler




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