JAS 39 Gripen: Sweden’s Multirole Fighter Jet Explained
The JAS 39 Gripen is Saab’s answer to a question no other country had the ambition to ask: can a small nation build a world-class multirole fighter from scratch? Four decades of continuous development later, the answer is definitively yes. The Gripen — from the Swedish words for fighter (Jakt), attack (Attack) and reconnaissance (Spaning) — serves six air forces on three continents, and its E/F generation is competitive with any 4.5-generation aircraft in service today.
Gripen C/D — The Export Generation
The Gripen C (single-seat) and D (two-seat trainer) brought NATO interoperability to the platform through Link 16 data link, AMRAAM compatibility and a modern glass cockpit. The Czech Republic and Hungary lease 14 Gripen C/D aircraft each, Czech aircraft flying NATO Baltic Air Policing missions from Lithuania. South Africa purchased 26 C/D aircraft in 2008, though a combination of budget constraints and technical support issues has left part of that fleet grounded. Thailand operates 11 aircraft alongside its Erieye-equipped Saab 340 airborne early-warning fleet.
Gripen E/F — The Current Generation
The Gripen E (single-seat) and F (two-seat) represent a clean-sheet redesign of the airframe around a far more powerful GE F414G turbofan engine. The key differentiators from the C/D are: the Leonardo (Selex) Raven ES-05 AESA radar with electronic scanning agility; the Saab Arexis fully integrated electronic warfare suite, which replaces a podded system with a built-in capability covering jamming, radar warning, missile approach warning and electronic attack; panoramic high-definition touch displays in the cockpit; and substantially increased weapons load and hardpoints. The Gripen E is capable of short-duration supersonic cruise without afterburner, extending tactical reach without the fuel penalty of sustained reheat.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Gripen C/D | Gripen E/F |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Volvo RM12 (GE F404 derivative) | GE F414G turbofan |
| Max Speed | Mach 2.0 | Mach 2.0+ |
| Radar | Ericsson PS-05/A pulse-Doppler | Leonardo Raven ES-05 AESA |
| EW | SPK 39 pod | Arexis integrated suite |
| Payload | ~6,000 kg | ~7,000 kg |
| Ferry Range | >3,200 km | >3,200 km |
| Takeoff Run | ~800 m | ~800 m (road-base capable) |
| Data Link | Link 16 | Link 16 + Swedish TacticalLink |
Export Customers
| Country | Version | Qty | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | C/D (retiring), E/F | 60 E/F on order | Deliveries ongoing |
| Brazil | E/F (“F-39 Gripen”) | 36 | Deliveries ongoing from 2021 |
| Czech Republic | C/D | 14 (lease) | Active; renewal under review |
| Hungary | C/D | 14 (lease) | Active; lease extended |
| South Africa | C/D | 26 | Partially grounded |
| Thailand | C/D | 11 | Active |
Brazil’s F-39 Gripen Programme
Brazil’s Gripen acquisition is the most significant export deal in the programme’s history. The October 2014 contract covered 36 Gripen NG aircraft (28 single-seat E, 8 two-seat F), with a supplementary April 2015 weapons contract worth approximately USD 245 million. The industrial deal includes a substantial technology transfer component: GRIPEN do Brasil, the joint venture between Saab and Embraer, assembles aircraft in Brazil at a facility in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo. Brazil intends to develop an autonomous capability to produce, maintain and evolve the platform — a strategic industrial objective that weighed heavily in the selection over the Boeing F/A-18E/F and Dassault Rafale offers.
Sources
- Saab Gripen product pages — saab.com
- Saab press release: Brazil weapons contract, April 2015 — saab.com
- Army Recognition — Gripen specifications
- Breaking Defense — Gripen E export status
