The swiss .... I think their competition is one of the best in the world. Very comprehensive.
It's running like a Swiss watchOriginally Posted by Skyman
RFP exactly 1 year after the RFI. Also Brazil is working fast this time... perhaps a bit too fast for Gripen since they're a candidate for the NG.
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Starting to add the events:
Gripen Events 2009
11-15 February Aero India in Bangalore, India
14-17 April Latin America Aero & Defence, LAAD, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
But it may well end up been too comprehensive, at least as far as the Swiss Air Force and its potential vendors are concerned..
Last edited by delio; 01-15-2009 at 02:00 PM.
Good to hear things are starting to roll again. I woke up today to the sound of an afterburner shaking my whole house, so I pulled up the curtains and could see a gripen taking of from Saab, it was very clear weather today so I could follow it all the way from take-off to when I only could see the vapor-trail after it, that was beatiful. So it seems the fellows over at Saab are slowly starting to come to life again
Yeah jontew, these pics is from the Czechs who also started training again after holidays.
.211squadron.cz
Gripen almost whiter than a mirror in the hands of Kate Moss...
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Since it's 2009 and most Gripen will continue their move to Version 19 I made this pic to illustrate how the upgrade time line is for new versions (editions). Basically there's a new standard version every 3 year and several updates in the period to the next one. These updates can be user specific or for all Gripens such as for recon pods, new radar modes or new missiles. Much is done by software updates from CD. Typically we would expect the global fleet to fly the same main standard version for the most part of the 3 year period.
What will come in alternative editions like 19:5, 20, 21 and so on is difficult to say more than generally speaking until they lock the specs with the customer and how development is progressing. If a ordered capability can't be included in a new main version it will come as an update as to not delay the introduction of other capabilities in a new standard version.
Some info on Version 19 can be read in this old GN Mag.
Version 19 introduces new capabilities for Sweden’s
Gripens, some of which are already in use with Gripen’s
export customers. In that respect the Version 19 upgrade
is an important step towards a common standard for the
entire Gripen ‘family’.
Gripen’s attack capabilities with modern guided
munitions will be further enhanced. The current
in-service precision weapons system incorporates laserguided
bombs and a pod.
Version 19 will add a GPS-guided weapons capability
plus important upgrades to the PS-05/A radar.
New higher-resolution radar modes will see it’s first
introduction in Version 19 and will, when fully developed,
allow a Gripen to accurately target GPSguided
weapons using data from its own radar. This
makes the aircraft an extremely flexible all-weather
attack platform.
The radar improvements, which also
include a ground moving target indicator function,
are the first stage in the planned SARA (SAR Anpassning,
or synthetic aperture radar adaption) upgrade
that will transform the PS-05/A over the coming
years.
Other new combat capabilities to be introduced under
Version 19 include: the IRIS-T agile short-range air-toair
missile (designated Rb 98 in Swedish service); an
improved self-protection system, with enhancements
to all threat warning and countermeasures; and night
vision goggles (NVGs). Current Gripen cockpit displays
and software are fully NVG-compatible, but Version
19 will see the formal introduction of the NVGs
themselves.
Swedish Gripens will also gain the Link 16 datalink,
Mode IV identification friend-or-foe (IFF) and Have
Quick secure communications equipment already contracted
for delivery to NATO Gripen air forces.
Finally, Version 19 will introduce the new ‘missionized’
two-seat Gripen, with a rear-cockpit configuration capable
of operating aircraft systems independently. This
supports Sweden’s plans to adopt JAS 39Ds for future
highly complex combat roles.
Last edited by signatory; 01-16-2009 at 01:56 PM.
Thank you. Do you have any info on how this relate to Gripen NG? I assume SAAB will want to have only one edition path but will this be possible (to start with)?
Leading to more Q:s: When is new radar hardware necessary before adding more modes?
Seeds for more postings whenever you have time!
Cheers,
g.
I doubt Gripen NG will be real 5th gen aircraft,more like 4++ (something like the Su-35BM).We will see if sweden can handle this...
Nice pics! Any guess how cold it is in Czech Republic?
Guess it's nowhere near the -38°C we had in Sweden last night...
Who has ever claimed that the Gripen NG will be a 5th gen fighter?
All this talk about generations is getting silly.
True story:
In 1985, or thereabout, a brittish Jaguar sqn visited Sweden, F6 Air Force Base. The visitors got to fly Viggens and were shown stuff, including the very secret fighter data link. Reportedly the guests became very silent when seing what the SwAF had. At the final dinner the squadron commander made a litte speech: "When we arrived I asked why you are building your own fighters when perfectly good planes are available from abroad. Well, during the week we have seen the data link - a system that we are discussing if we can afford for our next generation (Typhoon, my remark), and in what numbers. And you already have it operational at a fraction of the cost of our system. So, building your own seems like a good idea."
Source (in swedish) here.
All Gripens are flying with TILDS with lots of further development in it. A little more info here (page 6).
And more here. For what it is worth, Bill Sweetman has this comment:So, how does TIDLS fit in with fighter generations?Today, Sweden is the only country that is flying with a link of this kind, and will retain that status until the F-22 enters service.
BTW, Sweden's first (ground-to-air) data link was introduced in 1959 in J-35 Draken.
...............
aviationweekGripen Denies It Failed MMRCA Evaluation
Jan 16, 2009
By Neelam Mathews
Gripen is denying a news report in a local daily claiming the company will be left out of field trials for India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition because it didn’t make the grade with the Indian Air Force’s Technical Evaluation Committee.
The technical report is said to have been submitted to the Indian ministry of defense in mid-November of last year. It now has to be approved by the ministry before the field trials can begin.
Eddy de la Motte, director of Gripen International in India, told Aerospace DAILY, “Whether any of the competitors has failed to meet the cut for field evaluation or not is a question that should be put to the Indian Air Force. We firmly believe the report does not have any basis and the news is incorrect.
“Gripen meets or exceeds every operational requirement raised by the IAF in all roles — air-to-air fighter, [beyond visual range/within visual range], air-to-surface land and sea, and reconnaissance,” de la Motte added.
The six contenders for the 126-aircraft program also include Boeing’s F/A-18E/F, Lockheed Martin F-16, EADS Eurofighter, Dassault Aviation’s Rafale and the Russian Aircraft Corporation’s (RAC) MiG-35.
“It defeats the purpose for the air force not to experience all the six aircraft,” one senior official said. “We have nothing to lose to check them all out.” This substantiates another source that tells Aerospace DAILY that all six contenders are scheduled to participate in hot/cold trials beginning in April.
There has been speculation that with India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft slated to enter production in 2012, the Gripen acquisition may become extraneous. However, Gripen says it is not competing with the LCA. “In fact, the LCA program could benefit immensely from this array of technology, which Saab is happy to transfer,” de la Motte said.
The Gripen IN is a medium-weight multi-role fighter aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight 16.5 ton. The company says it is on schedule for delivery ahead of the other aircraft in contention for the MMRCA program.
Gripen has indicated that a “wide range of state-of-the-art weapons can be sourced from manufacturers worldwide, giving the Indian Air Force freedom of choice by avoiding sole source supply constraints.”
@pysen
The quick answer is that if Saab gets a order for a NG version there will be accelerated development so capability would show up in a earlier than planned version. But that includes alot of support for equipment the C/D users would need to buy extra so well it's like updating the common Operating System but not all PC's got the same hardware... at least to begin with. But either way it would be positive for the c/d users if someone ordered NG.
Last edited by signatory; 01-16-2009 at 05:22 PM.
--INDIA: Trials of multi-role combat aircraft in April-May
Bangalore, Jan 17 (IANS) The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to conduct trials in April-May of six different medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMCA) being considered for its order of 126 fighters, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major said Saturday.
The technical evaluation of the MMCA is almost complete. Hopefully, field trials should commence by April-May this year, Major said in his address at the annual Air Chief Marshal L.M. Katre Memorial Lecture here.
The IAF intends to purchase the combat jets at an estimated cost of $10 billion to replace its ageing Russian-made MiG-21 fleet in phases. Six global aircraft majors submitted their bids in April 2008 for the lucrative order.
The bidders are the US aerospace majors Boeing with its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Lockeheed Martin with its F-16, the Swedish Gripen, the French Rafale, the Russian MiG-35 and the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The selected bidder will have to re-invest 50 percent of the multi-billion dollar contract in India as part of the offset obligations mandated under the Defence Procurement Policy-2008.
The request for proposals (RFP) for the 126 combat jets was floated in August 2007 after the bidders responded to the air force request for information earlier.
Major said the present fighter aircraft fleet was being enhanced with the induction of newer and better platforms in face of the depletion due to obsolescence and regular phase out of the ageing aircraft.
Indo-Asian News Service
link
Notice:
The Swedish Defence Minister write on his blog today and in a interview with Swedish radio that after ordering for the SwAF a uniform fleet of Gripens there will be a focus on new development such as adding relevant and more modern weapons to the system and together with Gripen users continue to develop the aircraft to meet our operational requirements over several decades. Buying new versions of the aircraft could also become relevant but until then the focus will be as I said on the armament.
Also noted in his Defence Speech 18/1-2009.
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(and I agree.)
Last edited by signatory; 01-18-2009 at 01:21 PM.
Air Force MRCA Update: Gripen Exceeds Every Operational Requirement claims Eddy de la Motte
Dated 16/1/2009
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Gripen is denying news reports that the company will be left out of field trials for India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition because it didn't make the grade with the Indian Air Force's Technical Evaluation Committee. The technical report is said to have been submitted to the Indian ministry of defense in mid-November of last year. It now has to be approved by the ministry before the field trials can begin.
Eddy de la Motte, director of Gripen International in India, is said to have said, "Whether any of the competitors has failed to meet the cut for field evaluation or not is a question that should be put to the Indian Air Force. We firmly believe the report does not have any basis and the news is incorrect. "Gripen meets or exceeds every operational requirement raised by the IAF in all roles — air-to-air fighter, [beyond visual range/within visual range], air-to-surface land and sea, and reconnaissance," de la Motte added.
The six contenders for the 126-aircraft program also include Boeing's F/A-18E/F, Lockheed Martin F-16, EADS Eurofighter, Dassault Aviation's Rafale and the Russian Aircraft Corporation's (RAC) MiG-35. "It defeats the purpose for the air force not to experience all the six aircraft," one senior official said. "We have nothing to lose to check them all out." This substantiates another source that tells Aerospace DAILY that all six contenders are scheduled to participate in hot/cold trials beginning in April.
There has been speculation that with India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft slated to enter production in 2012, the Gripen acquisition may become extraneous. However, Gripen says it is not competing with the LCA. "In fact, the LCA program could benefit immensely from this array of technology, which Saab is happy to transfer," de la Motte said.
The Gripen IN is a medium-weight multi-role fighter aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight 16.5 ton. The company says it is on schedule for delivery ahead of the other aircraft in contention for the MMRCA program. Gripen has indicated that a "wide range of state-of-the-art weapons can be sourced from manufacturers worldwide, giving the Indian Air Force freedom of choice by avoiding sole source supply constraints."
http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4158
Gripen Supercruises
During a test flight today the Gripen Demo aircraft proved its ability to “Supercruise”, the ability to fly supersonic without the use of afterburner which results in fuel savings and an increase in range.
image: Gripen Demo during previous trials. Photo: Stefan Kalm.
2009-01-21 | During last Autumn, the Gripen Demo performed 40 sorties as part of the development programme that focuses on opening up the flight envelope regarding speed, altitude, angle-of-attack and loads. This year, the testing has continued at the same high tempo. Today’s supercruise flight is part of the ongoing high speed supersonic testing that will include supersonic flights, with different load alternatives.
Saab test pilot Magnus Ljungdahl flew the Gripen Demonstrator aircraft in supercruise.
“The flight was conducted over the Baltic Sea, my altitude was 28, 000 feet and the speed achieved was above Mach 1.2. Without using afterburner I maintained the same speed until I ran out of test area and had to head back to the Saab Test Flight Centre in Linköping.”
“Important milstone”
“To show potential customers that Gripen can supercruise is an important milestone”, said Gripen International Marketing Director Bob Kemp, “and to perform this activity only nine months after the Gripen Demonstrator was shown in public for the first time, is something that few, if any aircraft can beat.”
The Gripen Demo aircraft is a flying test platform for the next generation of Gripen and for the further development of the present Gripen C/D aircraft. Together with a ground-based test rig, the Gripen Demonstrator will develop and prove the essential systems and capabilities for the future, including its more powerful General Electric F414G engine, an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, advanced communications and electronic warfare systems.
http://www.gripen.com/en/MediaRelati...percruises.htm
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Adding this pic from NASA JPL which shows air temperature at height and latitudes.
I marked the testflight altitude with a white bar. The flight altitude was comparatively rather "low" for this type of test, normally official words about supercruise from other producers has been made for higher altitudes where there's less drag and in effect higher Mach numbers. The red temperature field in the chart above is relevant for most of the western world. For a flight over the middle of India the altitude should be around 32,000 feet to get as cold air temperature as at 28,000 feet over Europe.
And a reminder: This is a twin-seat Gripen that did "above Mach 1.2" and not the somewhat lighter and less draggy single-seat version. In the higher tropopause (+36,200ft) the speed of sound is constant and lower, where temperature and drag is lower which will help aircraft fly faster. There's still some room to improve the number using higher altitudes and a single-seat jet.
Last edited by signatory; 01-24-2009 at 06:34 AM.
Was this performed with a clean configuration?
Awesome news sig! Things are really starting to come together!
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