Key Points and Summary on JAS 39 Gripen E – The Swedish-made Saab JAS 39 Gripen E is emerging as a formidable 4.5-generation fighter, carving out a significant niche in the global arms market.
-While not a true stealth aircraft like the F-35, the Gripen E offers a potent combination of advanced avionics, a powerful engine, and a versatile weapons payload, including the Meteor long-range missile.
-Its lower operational cost and sophisticated electronic warfare suite make it an attractive alternative for nations seeking high-end capabilities without the F-35’s price tag. Peru’s recent decision to acquire 24 Gripen Es over the F-16 and Rafale underscores its growing appeal.
Meet the JAS 39 Gripen E Fighter
According to Mythology.net, “A griffin (or gryphon) is a chimeric creature, part eagle and part lion. With incredible strength, unfailing protective instincts, and a zero-tolerance policy against evil, it is the superhero of mythological creatures. No villain can mess with the griffin!”
It is no surprise, then, that the griffin’s name would end up being used in military appellations everywhere. For example, Gryphons was the nickname for one of the student squadrons of the U.S. Air Force’s Air and Space Basic Course, a now-defunct Professional Military Education course for newly commissioned second lieutenants and select Air Force civilian employees.
The Swedish Air Force went one step further, conferring the name upon one of its mightiest warbirds, the JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighter plane. The latest variant is the Gripen-E.
JAS 39 Gripen E Initial History
Designed and manufactured by Saab, the original version of the JAS 39 made its maiden flight on Dec. 9, 1988, and entered into official operational service with the Swedish Air Force on June 9, 1996.
The JAS 39 replaced the Saab 35 Draken and the Saab 37 Viggen. As for the Gripen E, it made its operational debut with both the Swedish Air Force and the Brazilian Air Force in 2019.
As the manufacturer’s official info page states, the “Gripen E-series is a new fighter aircraft system. Developed to counter and defeat advanced future threats, the E-series is for customers with more pronounced threats or wider territories to secure.” Among the improvements and upgrades for the Gripen-E are:
–Enhanced data-linking capabilities
–Integration of advanced weaponry
–Improved cockpit design
–Advanced radar and electronic warfare (EW) suite
–New avionics
–More efficient engine
Operational History in Brief
The Gripen-E has not yet been used in combat. That’s not entirely surprising, as Sweden hasn’t officially gone to war since 1814 (against its Scandinavian neighbor, Norway), thus enabling the country to claim the record for the longest continuous peace of any major nation in the modern era, at least according to one source. (Yes, even longer than Switzerland.)
However, the Swedish Air Force did dispatch earlier-variant Gripens to Libya as part of Operation Unified Protector in 2011, during which the jets participated in several successful strikes against ground targets.
Sweden joined NATO in March 2024, so if Russia were to ever actually go to war against the alliance, the Saab E will be ready to answer the call to duty. Indeed, this past April, Gripens conducted their first-ever interception of a Russian Air Force aircraft – an Ilyushin Il-20M – as part of the NATO Enhanced Air Policing mission.
It is not completely clear from the linked article whether these were Gripen-Es or one of the earlier variants.
JAS 39 in 4 Words: Not Stealth, but Powerful
Being a 4.5-generation fighter, the Gripen E isn’t as sophisticated as the fifth-generation stealth fighters that are most sought-after now – not to mention sixth-generation warplanes under development, including those with presumptive hypersonic capabilities.
However, the fifth-generation planes only started to be tested in real-world combat fairly recently, so fourth- and 4.5-generation warbirds certainly still have their niche to fill in air combat; they won’t be going away overnight.
Indeed, just three days ago (as these words are being typed), Peruvian President Dina Boluarte announced a decision to acquire 24 Saab JAS 39 Gripen Es instead of the American-made F-16 Fighting Falcon or the French-made Dassault Rafale. This deal is reportedly worth $3.5 billion.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU).
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