JAS 39 Gripen-N. Sweet Upgrade

I read this too Jezza, they are certainly keeping as many fingers in pies as possible, first Typhoon, then F-35, now this. I wonder what will happen to Norways share on the two losing programmes when they finally make their decision?

At last an update...
Grown-Up Gripen
Posted by Bill Sweetman at 4/16/2008 8:24 AM CDT

Next Wednesday, the Gripen International team is going to unveil the Gripen Demo, designed as the prototype for the next-generation Gripen NG which will - Gripen plans - win a chunk of the market for replacing future fighter aircraft. The team has just released new photos of the Demo in wind-tunnel tests at RUAG's low-speed tunnel in Emmen, Switzerland.

The whole deal cost the Swedish government - are you sitting down? - the equivalent of $600 million. That's a little over half what the US will spend in one year on putting radios and plush carpets in the Presidential helicopter, and about the same as one year's R&D on F-22 upgrades. And we wonder why we can't afford our defense needs.

link


Is it the swedes can show the world of keeping the costs down

Originally posted by Jezza
Is it the swedes can show the world of keeping the costs down

You want to know why?


Politicans are not involved, goals are clearly defined, they are not changed, and there is no need for hundreds "independent" of reports and studies on "capabilities", "impacts", "serviceability" etc etc.




The engineers are allowed to get on with things - guess what, we are quite capable of managing ourselves

It's amazing what you can do when you're not having to defend each modification you've made three times to six different groups. The X-36 is a great picture of what can be accomplished quickly and cheaply. No reason every program cannot be run like that.

SAAB Gripen with the super hornet engine , more hardpoints , more fuel - and AESA - i will bet real $$$ norway and denmark buy it to replace the F16`s and drop out of the F35 buy.

Props to Saab for an excelling aircraft at an awe-inspiring R&D price tag. I suspect that this aircraft could gain a lot of steam from these improvements. I don't think it will overshadow the F-35 (The USAF spin doctors wouldn't let it happen ), but it is definitely deserving of a lot more attention than what it gets.

www.gripen.com...


live webcast of the launch today 23/04/08 of the gripen demo

edit:

www.gripen.com...

www.gripen.com...


^^ piccie

[edit on 23/4/08 by Harlequin]

www.flightglobal.com...

some more details and photos

I think it's pretty remarkable a country of only 9 million people can spend only 600 million dollars on developing such an outstanding aircraft! And then buy 200 over them. Make me proud to be (part) Swedish!

I wonder how it compares to newer F-16 blocks as well as the French Fries... Seems pretty well from what I've heard!

And this may be of some use:
www.ntva.no...

[edit on 24/4/2008 by C0bzz]

reply to post by Harlequin


nice photos.
I wonder how it will stack up against foes
It will be interesting indeed.

www.defense-aerospace.com...

Today [May 27] at 10.55 – 11.25 Saab conducted the maiden flight with the Gripen Demo, the test bed for the further development of Gripen. The flight lasted for 30 minutes and went totally according to plan.

“We’re flying what in many aspects is a completely new aircraft a month after Roll-Out. This is quite unique and it shows Gripen’s opportunities for further development. It also shows our own ability to develop new, more efficient working methods.” says Lars-Erik Svedlund, Saab’s project manager for the Gripen demonstrator programme.

1 month after they roll out the aircraft she is allreayd flying - other projects could learn a bit from this really