Saab JAS 39 Gripen

JAS 39 Gripen
A Swedish Air Force JAS 39 Gripen at Kaivopuisto Air Show
General information
TypeMultirole fighter
National originSweden
ManufacturerSaab AB
DesignerIndustrigruppen JAS, FMV
StatusIn service
Primary usersSwedish Air Force
Number built~300 (2023)[1]
History
Manufactured1987–present
Introduction date9 June 1996[2]
First flight9 December 1988

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen (IPA: [ˈɡrǐːpɛn] pronunciationⓘ; English: The Griffin)[Nb 1][3] is a light single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab AB. The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stability design and fly-by-wire flight controls. Later aircraft are fully NATO interoperable. As of 2020, more than 271 Gripens of all models, A–F, have been delivered.[Nb 2]

In 1979, the Swedish government began development studies for "an aircraft for fighter, attack, and reconnaissance" (ett jakt-, attack- och spaningsflygplan, hence "JAS") to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force. A new design from Saab was selected and developed as the JAS 39. The first flight took place in 1988, with delivery of the first serial production airplane in 1993.[2] It entered service with the Swedish Air Force in 1996.[2] 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. On the export market, early models of the Gripen achieved moderate success, with sales to nations in Central Europe, South Africa, and Southeast Asia. Bribery was suspected in some of these procurements, but Swedish authorities closed the investigation in 2009.[5]

A major redesign of the Gripen series, previously referred to as Gripen NG (Next Generation) or Super JAS, now designated JAS 39E/F Gripen[6] began deliveries to the Swedish Air Force and Brazilian Air Force in 2019. Changes from the JAS C to JAS E include a larger fuselage, a more powerful engine, increased weapons payload capability, and new cockpit, avionics architecture, electronic warfare system and other improvements.

  1. ^ Roblin, Sebastien. "A Swedish-made fighter jet could tip the scales against Russia in Ukraine, but it might not get there any time soon". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Försvarets materielverk – Gripen – milstolpar" [The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration – Gripen – milestones] (in Swedish). 14 May 2009. Archived from the original on 21 August 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  3. ^ Nilsson 2012.
  4. ^ "In Use". Gripen Multirole Fighter. Saab. 2020. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Jas Gripen-utredning läggs ned" [Jas Gripen investigation closed down] (in Swedish). The Swedish Prosecution Authority. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 22 June 2009.
  6. ^ "'Super-Jas' costlier than expected: report". The Local. SE. 27 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 January 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.


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