JAS 39 Gripen E Might Be the Best Fighter Not Named F-35

The JAS 39 Gripen has been climbing the ranks of international popularity recently. Renowned for its reliability even in rough conditions, the customer base for the Gripen has been steadily expanding.

The latest variant of the Gripen, the Gripen E, improves the already excellent fighter, making it into a more capable and more deadly presence in the skies.

But what exactly does the Gripen E offer over its predecessor, and why are countries growing more interested in it?

The JAS 39 Gripen Becomes the Gripen E

The original JAS 39 Gripen, introduced in the late 1980s, was designed to replace Sweden’s aging fleet of Saab 35 Draken and Saab 37 Viggen aircraft. The Gripen was envisioned to be multirole fighter capable of performing air-to-air, air-to-ground, and reconnaissance missions.

Its design featured a delta wing and canard configuration, which provided excellent maneuverability and stability. Over the years, the Gripen has undergone several upgrades, leading to the development of the newest and greatest Gripen E variant.

The Gripen E introduces many upgrades from its predecessor models. One of the most significant upgrades in the Gripen E is its engine. The Gripen E is powered by the General Electric F414G engine, which offers greater thrust compared to the RM12 engine used in earlier Gripen models. This increased power allows the Gripen E to carry more payload and improves its overall performance, especially in terms of acceleration and climb rate. The change also required the wings and fuselage to be redesigned slightly to accommodate the new engine.

The Gripen E features a revolutionary avionics architecture that supports smooth capability growth and adaptation to new operational needs. This includes the latest Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which provides superior detection and tracking capabilities. Additionally, the Gripen E is equipped with an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system, enhancing its ability to detect and engage targets without relying on radar emissions.

4.5 Generation Perfection

Modern aerial combat requires robust electronic warfare systems to counter threats and ensure survivability. The Gripen E is equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems that offer spherical coverage and high survivability. These systems can detect, jam, and deceive enemy radar and communication systems, providing a decisive edge in contested environments. While these systems are not as comprehensive as 5th-generation stealth technology, it still enables the Grippen E to carry out missions in contested environments.

The Gripen E has been designed to carry a larger and more diverse array of weapons. With its new engine, it can effectively carry more munitions of all types. It features ten hard points, allowing it to carry a mix of air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground munitions, and reconnaissance pods. This flexibility enables the Gripen E to perform a wide range of missions, from air superiority to ground attack and reconnaissance.

Saab has integrated advanced Human-Machine Collaboration (HMC) into the Gripen E, making it an extension of the pilot’s mind and body. The cockpit features a Wide Area Display (WAD) that presents information in a user-friendly manner, facilitating quick and accurate decision-making. Additionally, embedded AI capabilities assist the pilot in complex missions, ensuring mission success even in high-stress scenarios.

The Gripen E excels in networked sensor fusion, which is crucial for maintaining situational awareness and achieving combat superiority. By integrating data from various sensors and platforms, the Gripen E can provide a comprehensive picture of the battlefield, allowing pilots to see first, understand first, and act first. This capability is vital for engaging targets effectively and avoiding threats. This reflects Saab’s intention of making a fighter suitable for network centric warfare.

The Gripen E’s design and capabilities offer several operational advantages to its previous models. With advanced electronic warfare systems and Gripen E can operate in highly contested environments and survive against sophisticated threats, though not as well as 5th gen stealth fighters. Despite its advanced features, the Gripen E is designed to be cost-effective in terms of acquisition and operational costs. This makes it an attractive option for countries looking to modernize their air forces without breaking the bank. The Gripen E is fully NATO interoperable, allowing it to integrate seamlessly with allied forces during joint operations and exercises.

Commercially Successful, But Still No Stealth

The Gripen E is intended to become the new standard for all JAS 39 fighters. Sweden has already begun upgrading its Gripen fleet to the new Gripen E standard. Other countries have also expressed interest in the Gripen E. Brazil has planned to acquire 36 airframes from Sweeden and even set up a factory in Brazil to produce the fighters. Just last month, Colombia announced that it would acquire the Gripen E for its own air force, although the exact number is not yet known. In the future, the customer base will likely expand as demand for cheaper fighter jets increases.

The one criticism that the Gripen E receives is that the fighter lacks stealth capabilities. While the lack of stealth capabilities does make the fighter less versatile overall, the Gripen E still provides many advantages with its avionics, payload capacity, and overall reliability. As its commercial success shows, there is still a wide market available for 4+ generation fighters, as not all countries can afford the F-35. While the lack of stealth may hold back the Gripen E a little bit, it does not render the fighter completely obsolete.

About the Author

Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.