Gripen News Thread

[phoebus]

Seems interesting, but it's highly unlikely our AF will select it for the 40+20 NMA competion. Even the F-16C/D Block 50/52+ Advanced can have both AESA and IRST at the moment. Any plans to fit the Gripen NG with an IRST then?

[Swedish_Marine]

@phoebus: Sweden is co-developing the IRIS-T, and according to the Swedish Defence Material Administration website, the missile will be delivered, and the Gripen was supposed to be integrated with the IRIS-T in the second quarter of 2005. Gripen will also be fitted for the MBDA Meteor, and Gripen was the first aircraft to launch it during testing. Both IRIS-T and Meteor can be seen on the demonstrator aircraft in the pictures.

[EStrike101]

Danm, Grpien is sexy.

[Murphy]

Excellent coverage as usual sig. Thanx

About the AESA buzz:

It is speculated that U.S. is smelling competition in F-35 territory here. (Norway, Denmark..)

They know the timeframe for Gripen (M-)AESA is more stretched, and that SAAB needs short term options during those crucial years up until 2020 to remain competitive.

They might want to play hardball with ITAR regulations or other export limitations, until such time actual signed purchase contracts exist for the F-35. (Norway, Denmark..)

Obviously this will force SAAB in other directions with AESA development in the short term.

Should SAAB score customers anyway, will U.S. re-consider then? Would SAAB still be interested then? Broken trust? Lost prestige? Hard feelings?

Articles like this certainly get the rumour mill going:

"Swedish Fly
The Joint Strike fighter tries to fend off the competition. "
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Conten...donqz.asp?pg=1

I'm having fun with it.

[phoebus]

@phoebus: Sweden is co-developing the IRIS-T, and according to the Swedish Defence Material Administration website, the missile will be delivered, and the Gripen was supposed to be integrated with the IRIS-T in the second quarter of 2005. Gripen will also be fitted for the MBDA Meteor, and Gripen was the first aircraft to launch it during testing. Both IRIS-T and Meteor can be seen on the demonstrator aircraft in the pictures.

I was not refering to the IRIS-T missile (to which our own HAI contributes as well ). Actually the missile is undergoing OPEVAL with our own Air Force as we speak. But I thank you for the responce and it's good to see the Meteor on-board.

I was refering to an internally mounted, infra read, search and track system like the PIRATE of EF2000 (instead of mounting external Litening or LANTIRN/Sniper pods). The latest varients of the F-16 can be fitted with one and that's the AN/AAS-42 IRST Shadow IRST.



The radar I'm guessing is the latest AN/APG-68v(9)

[Caprice]

@phoebus: Sweden is co-developing the IRIS-T...

Maybe phoebus was asking/thinking about IRST?
Edit: a little late...

IR-OTIS has mainly three operating modes:
1) IRST -mode where the system covers several different FOS (Field of search).
2) FLIR -mode (Forward looking IR) where the systems LOS (Line Of Sight) is directed from the aircraft.
3) Track -mode where the built-in-tracker controls the LOS.
It is also possible to switch from IRST -mode to track -mode automatically.

(From: SAAB IRST, the system and flight trials.)

IRST is mentioned in some PR material for Gripen Demo. It´s in this thread somewhere.

C.

[phoebus]

Maybe phoebus was asking/thinking about IRST?

IRST is mentioned in some PR material for Gripen Demo. It´s in this thread somewhere.

C.

Edit: a little late...

That's it! Excellent materials and information, thank you my friend. I bet there's no comparisson between the Gripen NG IRST and Radar range (like LockMart did for the F-16) but I suspect that is confidential as of now.

[Swedish_Marine]

@phoebus: Darn it. Fiddle-sticks. Easy to mis-read sometimes

[Caprice]

There were some flight tests done ten years ago, with 50-100km detection ranges (in certain cases even more). Sensor used was a 288*4 LWIR from Sofradir. I think they looked also at ways to determine range with the system:

The calculation method includes modelling of sensor performance, atmospheric transmission and infrared radiation from target and background...
...The deviation between calculated and measured range is about 10 % of the measured range. According to the figure, there is a tendency to overestimate the range in rear aspect. From this we realize that it is still possible to improve the range model.
(From: Airborne IRST target range – modelling and flight trials.)

I guess that sensors/processors etc. since then have improved but clouds and humidity etc. remains the same.

Obs. this is just what I read here and there. Don´t really know much about such complicated technical things.

C.

Edit: http://www.sofradir.com/products/pluton_lw.htm

[signatory]

39-7

People with good eyes or good software has noticed the Gripen Demonstrator is identified as test aircraft 39-7.



Some of the Hires versions available on www.gripen.com



A great interest for Gripen Demo

During the ceremony the Gripen Demo was unveiled and the major new features picked out with powerful spotlights. The guests included Norway’s Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen, Sweden’s Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors, The Czech Deputy Minister of Defence František Padělek and the Secretary of State in Hungary’s Ministry of Defence, Jószef Bali. Representatives from Gripen’s customer countries as well as campaign countries India, Greece, Denmark and Norway were present.

link

Six jet flypast to illustrate the Gripen customers


Photo (c) Gunnar Åkerberg sff.n.se


Photo (c) Katsuhiko TOKUNAGA gripen.com

Downloadable Video Footage



Some interviews and stuff.

The Saab CEO also highlights Supercruise in the interview making him the third Saab official that day to 'market' the capability. Looks like that's a conscious attack on the JSF marketing if you will...

Åke Svensson, Saab CEO, interview 3:05 (mpg)

Display of six jets on the ground (mpg)

More

And yet more here.

Webpoll

Norways largest newspaper/tabloid VG has an article about the roll-out and a webpoll asking people what the country should buy. At least it doesn't look like the 'commoners' hate the idea of getting Saabs with 2 of 3 supporting the Gripen.



Link

[phoebus]

Excellent update Signatory! Here are some images taken by hellenic journalists. They show the redesigned wing fairing that hosts the landing gear, plus the new design of the intakes.


© DefenceNetMedia - Alexios Matzoros


© DefenceNetMedia - Alexios Matzoros


© DefenceNetMedia - Alexios Matzoros

[K22GLE]

Articles like this certainly get the rumour mill going:

"Swedish Fly
The Joint Strike fighter tries to fend off the competition. "
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Conten...donqz.asp?pg=1

I'm having fun with it.

Interesting aspect. Thanks for the link.

[tidls]

Yeah, good read, up to the point where it says, "the JSF is a whole generation of technology ahead of the Gripen; it has real stealth, superior agility, and highly advanced network-centric communications" It kinda fell flat after that.


Anyways, nice to see this new Gripen version. I wonder though, will the Gripen C/D get a similar avionics upgrade(minus the modified landing gear), will we see the C/D powered ty the F414? To early to say I guess?

[Martel]

Almost one year ago

I've read that SAAB consider buying AESA radar from France using technologies from the RBE2-AA currently developed which will be fitted on the Rafale in 2010-2012.
Some (swedish ?) engineers went to Cazaux (french Air Force test field) to see the flying testbed (a modified 2000-B).
Any news from your side ?

[Caprice]

Wonder if it is GaN HEMT modules in this Thales antenna?

In the PDF it´s mentioned (page 50) that such (European)technology will be ready in 2009...
http://www.gaasmantech.org/Digests/2...Digests/3D.pdf

I did a quick count (Crazy, yes. ) of the modules on the antenna pictured in the Gripen Demo pdf (mockup or demo variant I wonder?) and counted about 830. I guess there must be further shrinkage before we see it in operation?

C.