Saab Gripen Sweden's 21 st Century Multi-role Aircraft

146 Pages·2016·37.38 MB·English

by  Keijsper G.

S a a b G r i p e n
Sweden's 21 st Century Multi-role Aircraft
Gerard Keijsper
S a a b G r i p e n
Sweden's 21st Century Multi-role Aircraft
Gerard Keijsper
An imprint of
Ian Allan Publishing
SaabGripen Contents
Sweden's21stCenturyMulti-roleAircraft
©2003GerardKeijsper
ISBN1857801377
Introduction 3
PublishedbyMidland Publishing AcronymsandAbbreviations 8
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Tel:[phone] Fax:[phone] Chapters
E-mail:[email protected]
1 TheFutureTakesShape 9
MidlandPublishingisanimprintof Designconceptandlayout 2 Origination 14
IanAllanPublishingLtd ©2003MidlandPublishing 3 ImprovingtheBreed......•.......34
andStephenThompsonAssociates
4 RoaroftheGripen .......•.......53
Worldwidedistribution(exceptNorthAmerica):
MidlandCountiesPublications EditedbyBobMunro 5 BirdofPrey 62
4WatlingDrive,Hinckley,LE103EY,England 6 IntheCockpit 81
Telephone:[phone] Fax:[phone] PrintedinEnglandby
7 ExtremeHighAlphaTestFlying 101
E-mail:[email protected] IanAllanPrintingLtd
www.midlandcountiessuperstore.com RiverdeneBusinessPark,MoleseyRoad, 8 IntoService 103
Hersham,Surrey,KT124RG 9 FallenGripens 114
NorthAmericantradedistribution:
10 ChasingSales 117
SpecialtyPressPublishers&WholesalersInc. Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublication
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Appendix
Tel:[phone] Fax:[phone] transmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,
Tollfreetelephone:8008954585 mechanicalorphoto-copied,recordedorotherwise, GripenSpecifications-
www.specialtypress.com withoutthewrittenpermissionofthepublishers. ComparisonwithCompetitors 140
Titlepage:HeavilyarmedF7WingJAS39A
Gripen39134overatypicalSwedishlandscape.
TheGatthetopofthefinisfor'Gustaf',the
radiocallsignofF7Wing.
Below:EightBatchOneJAS39AGripensat
Malmen,homeofTU-39andtheFMVFeunits.
Theaircraftweartheoriginalhigh-visibility
Dayglotacticalcodesandsevenoftheeight
havetheblacknoseradomesfittedtoaircraft
39109to39127.
Introduction
AquartetofSaabJ29Tunnans(FlyingBarrels), element, namely Sweden's indigenous aero J Jakt(Fighter)
Sweden'sfirst-generationjetfighter,operated spaceindustry. A Attack
byF3Wing.ThetypeservedwiththeSwedish The roots of Sweden's modern-day aero S Spanning(Reconnaissance)
AirForcefrom 1951to1970.
spaceindustrycanbetracedbackto1930and SF SpanningFoto(PhotographicReconnaissance)
theestablishmentoftheAktiebolagetSvenska SH SpanningHavsovervakning
Although Sweden has jealously guarded its Jarnvagsverkstadernas Aeroplanavdelning at (MaritimeReconnaissance)
neutrality for close to 200 years (it was last Linkbping.Sevenyearslater,withthecloudsof Sk Skol (Trainer)
involvedinconflictin1814whenitgained Nor war gathering across Europe, Svenska Aero B Bomber
wayfromDenmark),thelargestofthecountries planAktieBolaget(SAAB)wasformed atTroll Tp Transport
in Scandinavia has long had a reputation for hatlan and two years later these companies Fpl Flygplan(Aeroplane- usedforlightmulti-role
purposely maintaining a strong military capa weremerged. aircraft)
bilityto deter other nations, most recently the Inthe50-odd years sincethemerger, Saab HkpHelikopter(Helicopter)
SovietUnionanditsWarsawPactalliesduring hasproduced aseriesofsuccessfulandoften
the Cold War years, from seeking to gain a innovativeaircrafttomeetveryspecific opera Saab's first military designs to enter service
strategicadvantagebywayofinvasion. tional requirements bestowed upon the with the Swedish Air Force were the single
The principal element of this impressive Swedish Air Force. Those requirements are engined B17/S17andtwin-enginedB18/S18
defence capability has long been been the reflected in the Swedish Air Force's policy of of1940 and 1942respectively. Aclear indica
Svenska Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force), designating its aircraft by role. The designa tion of Saab's innovative approach to aircraft
whichhastraditionallyreliedalmostexclusively tions, introduced afterthe FirstWorld War, are designcamewiththeJ21AFalco,atwin-boom
on aircraft designed and built by another key asfollows: single-seatfighterfirstflownon30thJune1943
SaabGripen 3
and whichfeatured apusherpropellerlocated followedbyaquartetofoutstandingtypes.Test TheSaabJ32LansenwasSweden'ssecond
atthe rear ofthe central nacelle rather than a pilotBengtOlowtooktheprototypeofthefirstof generationjetfighterandattackaircraft.The
type'sversatilityresultedinaservicecareer
conventional nose-mounted tractor type. The thefour,theSaab32Lansen(Lance),onitsfirst
withtheSwedishAirForceofover40years.
J 21A was followed in 1947 by the J 21R flight on 3rd November 1952; during October
whichretainedthetwin-boomconfigurationbut 1953theLansenbecamethefirstSaabaircraft
replacedthe12-cylinderpistonenginewithajet to break the sound barrier, a step that made
engine;thefirstSaabaircrafttobesopowered. Swedenthefifthcountrytoflyasupersonicair
On1stSeptember1948theprototypeofthe craft. TheLansen provedtobeaversatile plat ThisviewofaSwedishAirForceJ35FDraken
illustrateswellthetype'sdistinctivecranked
Saab 29 Tunnan (Flying Barrel) undertook its form and served primarily in the all-weather
deltawing.ThearmamentcomprisestwoRb27
maidenflight.Thiswasthefirstoriginaljet-pow attack/nightfighter roles and also asarecon radar-guidedandtwoRb28IR-guidedFalcon
ered aircraftto be designed bySaaband was naissance, ECMandcloud-sampling platform. air-to-airmissiles.BobMunro
4 SaabGripen
As the Cold War escalated, Sweden's neu ensure that they would have enough roads and was followed overthe years by modified
tralityandpolicyofnon-alignmentbecamevery availablefor landings. EventuallySweden had and improved J 35 variants, the S35E recon
western orientated. The main threat was now 24 dispersed bases available, each with three naissance platform and the Sk 35C two-seat
camefrom WarsawPactcountriesthathad air runways, plus the country's additional well trainer. DrakenswerealsoexportedtoAustria,
bases within halfan hour'sflying time ofSwe designedroadinfrastructure.) Denmarkand Finland.
den and who's front-line strength was greater Bengt Olow was also the pilot for the first Even before the Draken entered service, in
thanthatoftheNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganisa flightoftheSwedishAirForce'ssecond-gener the late 1950s the Swedish Air Force had
tion (NATO) forces of Norway and Denmark ationcombataircraft,theoutstandingSaab35 turned its thoughts to the future need for a
andnon-alignedFinland.NATOcalculatedthat Draken (Dragon) Mach 2all-weather intercep Draken replacement. The decision was taken
in a conventional war Sweden would protect tor. Whereas the Lansen was of conventional toembracetheconceptofatotalweaponsys
NATO's northern flank, so protection of the configuration, the Draken, first flown on 25th tem in which design and development of the
NATO countries could therefore be made October 1955, featured an eye-catching and airframe would progressin parallel withthatof
implemented through West Germany and the unusualdouble-deltawingwithacrankedlead onboard avionics and equipment, armament,
Iceland-Greenland-UKgap. ingedgeswept800ontheinnersectionand570 the powerplant, and ground-based support
Sweden calculated that, in a conventional on the outersection.Saab had calculated that equipment including simulators for pilottrain
war, both NATO and the Warsaw Pact would this wing configuration offered the best han ing. A prerequisite was that the reSUlting
considerSwedishterritorytobeofhightactical dling characteristics of both a delta and con weapon system hadto befully integratedwith
value and onthat basisthe SwedishAirForce ventionalwing. Sweden'sSTRIL60airdefencecontrolsystem.
estimatedwhat sizeofforcewould be needed The Draken'sgood handling characteristics What emerged in response to the Swedish
to prevent an invasion. The base system that wereenhancedbylowdragthankstothesmall AirForce'srequirementswasSystem37,atthe
Sweden used assumed that, as Swedish Air frontal area, andanexcellentrateofclimband heart of which was Flygplan 37 (Aircraft 37).
Forcebaseswouldprobablybethefirsttargets high-speed performancethanks to the power Saabwasonceagainentrustedwiththedesign
for destruction, its combat aircraft had to be ful RM6 engine with afterburner and a wing oftheaircraft.
able to take off from runways shortened by thickness-to-chordratioofjust5%.Thesewere Firstflown on 8th February 1967, the Saab
damage orfrom shortstrips ofroad. Thusthe importantconsiderationsgiventheSwedishAir 37featured mid-setdeltaforeplanes (canards)
Swedish Air Force's second-generation com Force'sstipulationthattheaircrafthadtohave withtrailing-edgeflaps- thefirstmodernfighter
bataircraft wouldhavetobedesignedtooper the ability to operate from dispersed sites, to aircraft to incorporate canards - and a main
ate from a network of dispersed road bases. climbfastand hightointerceptthe enemyair delta wing with leading-edge compound
(This requirement was expanded with each craft and then return and land safely within a sweepandtrailing-edgeelevons.This'canard
succeeding generation of combat aircraft to shortdistanceontheroadwaysite.Thelanding delta' configuration andthe powerofthe RM8
run was shortened bythe Draken sitting back afterburning engine gave the Saab 37 the
on apairof small twin tailwheels to maximise thrust and high lift necessary to take offfrom
Afirst-generationAJ37ViggenofF15Wing.
aerodynamicdrag. shortstretchesofroadway.Thesturdytandem
TheViggenwastheaircraftagainstwhichthe
Gripenwasmeasuredandcomparedduring TheJ35ADrakeninterceptorenteredSwedish twinwheel main landing gear units were
andaftertheinitialdesignstage. AirForceservicewith F13Wing in March 1960 designedtoabsorbtheshockofno-flareland-
SaabGripen 5
7
=-/
!
o __--,,0
ings atsink rates up to 5m (16ft) per second, form morethan oneoperational role. Thispro Acomputer-generatedimageoftheB3LA.The
thus enabling landingsonshortstripsofroad gramme resulted in the AJS 37, AJSF 37 and design'ssimilaritytotheItalo-BrazilianAMXis
cleartosee.
way. Once on the roadway, deployment of a AJSH37;examplesofthelattertwoareamong
thrust-reverser and raising of the main wing thedwindling numbersofViggensthatremain
Manyofthesuppliersinvolvedintheabortive
elevons would restrict the landing run to an inSwedishAirForceserviceatthetimeofwrit B3LAwereSUbsequentlyinvitedtoparticipate
impressive500m (1,640ft). ing. They serve alongside surviving JA37s, intheJASprogramme;forexampletheFrench
Big and powerful and able to carry an someSK37s(retainedforproficiencytraining) companyIntertechnique,whosefuelsystemfor
theB3LAisillustrated.
impressive array of ordnance and stores on andthe youngest memberofthe Viggen fam
seven underfuselage and underwing stations, ily, the SK37E Stor-Viggen (JammerViggen),
the multi-role Saab 37 was given anamethat whichhasreplacedtheJ32ELansenintheEW In the mid-1970s it was believed that the
reflecteditsstrengthanditsabilitytoflyfastand training role. Viggen'sservicelifewouldlastaroundanother
hit hard: Viggen (Thunderbolt). First-genera 15years. Consequently, itwas suggestedthat
tion Viggens comprised four variants, each FIY9plan80 when productionoftheViggenfightercameto
withaprimaryandsecondaryoperationalrole: From1971 theSwedish Forsvarsmakten (FMV an end in 1985, a new enhanced-generation
the AJ37 (attack, air defence), SF37 (photo or Swedish Defence Material Administration) Viggen attack variant should be produced to
reconnaissance, attack), SH37 (maritime invested a substantial amount of money in a replace the older, worn-out first-generation
reconnaissance, anti-shipping strike) and the project called Flygplan 80 (Aircraft 80) which variants; this was to be Project A20. (In fact,
two-seaterSK37 (training,attack). wasintendedtobeaViggen replacementthat Viggen production continued until 1990.
TheViggen entered Swedish AirForce ser would enter production in the first half ofthe Including the eight prototypes, a total of 337
vice on21stJune1971 and wasprogressively 1980s and reach service with the Swedish Air Viggenswerebuilt).
updated overthe years. During the 1970sthe Force in the second halfofthe decade. Flyg Bynowthecostofnewcombataircraftwas
second-generation JA37 (airdefence, attack) plan 80 was eventually retitled Project85 and startingtoriseprohibitively.NormAugustineof
was developed and procured. Later, close to brought another proposal to life called the A Lockheed Martin, in his bookAugustineLaws,
100 surviving first-generation AJ/SF/SH 37s 20,which was itselfaground attackderivative notedthatthisescalationincostwasdueinno
were upgraded to enable each aircraftto per- oftheViggen. small part to their ever-increasing sophistica-
6 SaabGripen
tionandtheextraweightneededtohouseallof the Swedish parliament, which was to decide programmes; however, marketing ofthe com
thestate-of-the-artequipment.Thetableoppo by1stJuly1979oncombataircraftacquisitions pleteaircraftwouldstaywithSaab.
siteillustratesthisgraphically. for the next five-year period. When General The Overbefalhaveren (OB or Supreme
It is often said thatthe weight ofan aircraft Ljunginitiatedsomestudiestolookattheavail Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces)
multipliedbythepriceofgoldwillgivetheprice ableoptions, itsoon became clearthat alow announcedthe results of his inquiry in Febru
ofthe aircraft and Swedish studies have con costchoicewasdesirableand boththe British ary1980andrecommendedacquiringtheJAS
firmed this rule of thumb. Consequently the HawkandFranco-GermanAlphaJetwerecon system to replace the entire fleet of Viggens,
Swedish Air Force looked at some low-cost sideredatthistimetoreplacetheSk60. includingtheSF/SH37variants.Inthesummer
design proposals including the B3LA trainer On21stNovember1978,boththeB3LAand of1980anofficial RequestforProposals(RFP)
and lightattackaircraft. A38 programmes were cancelled by Govern wassenttotheUScompaniesGeneralDynam
TheB3LAwasseenasareplacementforthe ment proposition 1978/79:138 as being too ics, McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, and to
Sk 60 jet train'er (for which British Aerospace expensive.Twomonthslater,inFebruary1979, IG-JAS in Sweden. Shortly afterwards the
laterofferedthe Hawk). Aermacchi of Italy co the A-20 programme also was cancelled. In Swedish parliamentapproved SKr 200 million
operatedontheB3LA'sdesignandsimilarities November 1979 the Swedish government to cover JAS design development from July
can be seen with the shape ofthe AMX light issued additional instructionstotheComman 1980untiltheendof1981.
attackaircraftwhich servestodaywith the Ital der-in-Chief of Sweden's Armed Forces (the The RFP gave the three US companies
ian and Brazilian air forces. A further project OB) to find an aircraft, possibly even from until April 1981 to respond; IG-JAS was given
given consideration was the A38/Sk 38 dedi abroad, with a combined Jakt, Attack and afurther two months because unlike its com
cated attackaircraftandjettrainer. Spanning (JAS: Fighter, Attack and Recon petitors, itdid nothaveanactual aircraftavail
According to Swedish government propos naissance)capabilityofalevelequivalenttothe able.Nevertheless,byNovember1980,IG-JAS
als in 1976 (Item 1976/77:74),the SwedishAir AmericanGeneralDynamicsF-16.Suchanair had received plenty of interestfrom overseas
Force's front-line fighter capability should be craft, if procured, would replace the Swedish aerospace companies prepared to sharethe
modernised by upgrading the Viggen system AirForce'sAJ/SF/SH37Viggens. Atthe same financial and technical risk of developing of
toA-20standardwhiletheB3LAwouldreplace time, however, eight wings of JA 37 Viggens theirJASproposal.Notableamongthesecom
theSk60, with full assessmentofthe B3LAto weretobeacquired. panieswereBritishAerospace,Messerschmitt
commence in spring 1977. The results of this Bolkow-Blohm, and McDonnell Douglas and
inquiryweredeliveredinOctober1977andrec IG·JAS Rockwell(whichoffereditsHiMATtechnology).
ommendedthatenough A-20s should be pro In Sweden, realisation that an aircraftfrom an Partners were to be selected before year's
cured to equip six wings, plus 45 lighttrainer overseas manufacturer might be procured to endsothatIG-JAScouldsubmitanoffertothe
aircraft. Alternatively, two Swedish Air Force meetthe JAS requirement led to the formula Swedish Air Force. The Swedish government
wings should receiveAJ 37Viggens and nine tion of Industrie Gruppen Jakt, Attack, Span would then decide whether to develop an
wingstheB3LA. ning (IG-JAS); five Swedish aerospace indigenousfighterorbuyfromoverseas.
In Government proposal 1977/78:95 it was companies that would join forces to design,
decided that the final decision on force mod develop and manufacture a multi-role 'JAS
ernisation should be delayed and in January combataircraft'. ThecompanieswereSaab Acknowledgements
1978 a Flyglndustry Kommite (FLIKorAircraft (airframedesign, final assembly, digitalfly-by Iwouldliketothankthefollowingpeople: Hans
Industry Committee) was formed to establish wire control system, marketing and sales); BrandtbergofSaabAvionicsforhisassistance
what was the best option for the Swedish Air Volvo (developmentoftheRM12engineinco withthechaptersaboutdisplaysandthe Man
Force.ThiscommitteereportedtotheSwedish operation with General Electric, it being a MachineInterface;Gerhard DusslerofBGTfor
government in October 1978 and recom development of the GE404J); FFV (mainte his assistance with the section on IRIS-T;
mended the acquisition of enough JA 37 nanceand theODEN Helmet Mounted Sight); Corinna Wassner of Mauser-Werke for the
ViggensandthenewA-20toequipeightwings SRA (diffractive optics HUD and three head information supplied aboutthe BK27 cannon;
andsixwingsrespectively. down displays) and LM Ericsson (radar, FLlR, MikeJNipperofLockheed-Martinforhisassis
Areport bythe then Supreme Commander centralcomputersystemand IFFsystem). tance with auto AGCAS; Luther Craig of the
oftheSwedishArmedForces,GeneralLennart IG-JAS was formed mainly for political rea AFFTC for his assistance and information
Ljung, noted a preference for the Sk 38/A 38 sons,toshowthatnotonlySaabbutabroader about auto AGCAS and auto ACAS; Bjorn
ratherthanthe A-20, although itwas acknowl Swedish industry base would profit from the Johansson of FMV:prov for the information
edged that the former would involve more development of the new fighter. One major abouttestflying andthe FMVunit patch; Owe
designwork and, therefore, ahighertechnical changewasthatalloftheothercompaniesnow WagermarkofGripenInternationalforallowing
andfinancial risk.However, bythe end ofFeb became risk-taking partners, which had not hisstafftohelpme;NilsGoranWidhofSaabfor
ruary1979Ljung'sadvicehadbeenrejectedby been the case with previous Swedish fighter all the photographs and other illustrations;
Lt.General Kent Harrskog (Retired) for all the
Year Manufacturer Type Emptyweight Price(millionUS$) SwedishAirForceunitpatches;HeidiWendtof
Saab for her help with Chapter Seven; Reino
1950 NorthAmerican F·86Sabre 6,276kg(13,836Ib) 0.22 Lidvik,Saabtestpilot;YngveKlathforhistime,
1958 Lockheed F-104Starfighter 6,760kg(14,903Ib) 1.4
answers and solutions to problems; Sam
1962 McDonnellDouglas F-4PhantomII 13,757kg(30,328Ib) 2.2
1968 GeneralDynamics F-111 21,398kg(47,175Ib) 5.9 Basch of Volvo Aero for his fact-checking of
1978 McDonnellDouglas F-15AEagle 12,973kg(28,000Ib) 20 Chapter Four; Denel for information on their
1990 McDonnellDouglas F-15EStrikeEagle 14,379kg(31,700Ib) 40 production ofGripen components; Myfriends
1990 Lockheed-Martin F·16C/DFightingFalcon 8,663kg(19,100Ib) 25 whohelped mewiththetranslation ofmaterial
1990 McDonnellDouglas F/A-18C/DHornet 10,455kg(23,050Ib) 30
forthetext.
2000 Eurofighter Typhoon 9,750kg(21,495Ib) z 50
2000 Dassault Rafale z 50 Lastly, Iwould liketothankTonyButtlerand
2000 Boeing F/A·18E/FSuperHornet 13,880kg(30,600Ib) z 60 Bob Munro for editing and proof-reading the
2000 GripenInternational Gripen 6,622kg(14,599Ib) z30 materialIsupplied.
~2005 Lockheed-Martin F/A·22Raptor t13,608kg(30,000Ib) z 120*
~2008 Lockheed-Martin F-35 z 40* Gerard Keijsper
*estimatesfortheseperspectivefightersforwhentheybecomeavailable July2003
SaabGripen 7
Acronyms and Abbreviations
AAA Anti-AircraftArtillery FMS Full MissionSimulator MoU MemorandumofUnderstanding
AADS AdvancedAirDataSystem FMV Forsvarsmakten (theSwedish MRAAM Medium-RangeAir-to-AirMissile
AAM Air-to-AirMissile DefenceMaterialAdministration MRP ModularReconnaissancePod
AoA AngleofAttack SDMA) MTBF MeanTimeBetween Failures
ACTIVE AdvancedControlTechnologyfor FOD ForeignObjectDamage MTVN Multi-axisThrust-VectoringNozzle
IntegrationVehicle GECU GeneralsystemsElectronic NASA NationalAeronautics andSpace
ADC AirDataComputer ControlUnit Administration
AESA ActiveElectronicallyScannedArray GSE GroundSupportEquipment NATO NorthAtlanticTreatyOrganisation
AFB AirForce Base HARV High-AlphaResearchVehicle NVG NightVisionGoggles
AMRAAM AdvancedMedium-rangeAir-to-Air HAS HardenedAircraftShelter OBOGS On-BoardOxygenGeneration
Missile HDD Head-DownDisplay System
AMS AudioManagementSystem HiMAT HighlyManoeuvrableAircraft PAF PolishAirForce
APU AuxiliaryPowerUnit Technology PfP PartnershipforPeace
ASM Anti-Ship Missile HMD Helmet-MountedDisplay PGM PrecisionGuided Munitions
ATE AutomaticTestEquipment HMS Helmet-MountedSight PIO Pilot-InducedOscillation
AVEN Axi-symmetricVectoringExhaust HOTAS HandsOnThrottleAnd Stick PRF PulseRepetitionFrequency
Nozzle HUD Head-UpDisplay Rb Robot(Swedishtermforguided
BFM BasicFighterManoeuvres IAF IsraeliAirForce missile)
BITE Built-InTestEquipment IAI IsraeliAircraftIndustries RCS RadarCross-Section
BVR BeyondVisualRange IFF IdentificationFriendorFoe RFP RequestForProposals
BVRAAM BeyondVisualRangeAir-to-Air INS InertialNavigationSystem RFQ RequestForQuotation
Missile IOC InitialOperationalCapability RM ReaktionsMotororJetEngine
CCDU CommunicationControlDisplayUnit IR Infra-Red RRV RiksRevisionsVerket(State
C-in-C Commander-in-Chief IRST Infra-RedSearchandTrack RevisionWorks)
CPB CentraalPlan Bureau (theDutch ITB InvitationToBid RWR RadarWarning Receiver
economicanalysisagency) ITO InternationalTestOrganisation SAAF SouthAfricanAirForce
CRT Cathode-RayTube ITP IndustriadeTurboPropulsores SANDF SouthAfricanNationalDefence
CSMU CrashSurvivableMemoryUnit JAS Jakt,Attack,Spanning Force
CzAF CzechAirForce JSF JointStrikeFighter SDD SystemDevelopmentand
DASH DisplayAndSightHelmet KEPD KineticEnergie Penetrationand Demonstration
DEXSA DefenceEXhibitionSouthAfrica Destruction SETP SocietyofExperimentalTestPilots
DFRC Dryden FlightResearchCenter LCA LightCombatAircraft SHK StatensHavari Kommission
DWS DispenserWeaponSystem LCC LifeCycleCost SKr Swedish Kroner
ECCM ElectronicCounter-CounterMeasure LOA LetterofOfferandAcceptance S/MTD STOL/ManoeuvringTechnology
ECM ElectronicCounterMeasure LP LowPressure Demonstrator
ECS EnvironmentalControlSystem LRIP Low-RateInitial Production SRU ShopReplaceableUnit
EFA EuropeanFighterAircraft(later LRU LineReplaceableUnit SSE StockholmStockExchange
EurofighterTyphoon) MACS ModularAirborneComputerSystem STOL ShortTake-OffandLanding
EFM EnhancedFighterManoeuvrability MATV Multi-AxisThrustVectoring STOVL ShortTake-OffandVerticalLanding
EGNP ElektroniskGenererad Nod McDD McDonnell Douglas SwAF SwedishAirForce
Presentation (ElectricallyGenerated MDC MiniatureDetonatingCord TARAS TActical RAdioSystem
EmergencyDisplay) MDRS MaintenanceDataRecording TDD TechnologyDevelopmentand
EUNT ElectronicINTelligence System Demonstration
EMD EngineeringandManufacturing MDS ModularWeaponSystem TFR Tactical FighterRegiment
Development MES Mission EvaluationSystem TIDLS TacticalInformationDatalinkSystem
EO ElectroOptical MFD Multi-FunctionalDisplay TRM TransmitterReceiverModule
FACh FuerzaAereaChilena(ChileanAir MIDAS Multi-functionIntegratedDefensive TU-39 TaktiskUtprovning39(Tactical
Force,ChAF) AvionicsSystem Testing39)
FADEC Full-AuthorityDigitalEngineControl MIDIS Multi-functionIntegratedDefensive VECTOR Vectoring, ExtremelySTOL,Control
FBW Fly-By-Wire InformationSystem andTaillessOperationResearch
FCS FlightControlSystem MIL-STD MilitarySTanDard VISTA VariableIn-flightStabilityTest
FEn FirstEngineToTest MLU Mid-LifeUpdate Aircraft
FUR Forward-LookingInfra-Red MMC MassMemoryCartridge VoVC Validerings-ochVerifieringCentrum
FMRAAM FutureMedium-RangeAir-to-Air MMI Man-MachineInterface (ValidationandVerificationCentre)
Missile MMS Multi-MissionSimulator VRD VirtualRetinal Display'"
FMS ForeignMilitarySales MoD MinistryofDefence VTAS VisualTargetAcquisition System
8 SaabGripen
ChapterOne
The Future Takes Shape
Accordingto Maj Gen Staffan Nasstrbm, Chief JASConfigurations AnotherstudywastheType2107fittedwith
ofSweden'sAirForceMaterialCommand,you Design studies for what would eventually ahighlysweptwingandalow-settailplane.The
havetolookatpreviousgenerationsoffighters become the IG-JAS submission for the JAS 2107's most distinctive feature was a dorsal
torealisejustwhatismeantbytheterm'fourth requirement had begun in 1979. Work com intake(similartothe NorthAmericanYF-107A)
generationfighter' andwhatitcan do. menced underthe designation NV-O, this title giving a short and straight duct; more impor
First-generationjetfightersincludetheMiG-15 identifying what was basically a half-scale tantly, its engine was all but invisibleto radar,
Fagot, F-86 Sabre and de Havilland Vampire; Viggen with 55° wing sweep. Later the NV-O givingthedesign betterstealthcharacteristics.
Swedish members ofthis generationwere the becametheType2100,thusinstitutingtheuse Wind-tunnel tests showed that the Type
Saab J 29Tunnan and J 32 Lansen. Second ofthe2100series. 2107 had abetterturn rate than the 2105 and
generationjetfightersusedanaloguesystemsto Two basic configurations researched in thatitwouldperformwellathigh'alpha'(angles
integratetheirweaponsandavionicsandspeed depthwere theType2102andtheType2105. of attack). However, adding a second seat
was a major performance requirement. This The2102wasthemoreconventionalofthetwo, wouldbedifficultbecauseoftheintakeposition
generation comprised types likethe F-5 Free sportingamid-setsweptwing andtail, LERXs, and there was concern with high 'alpha' and
dom Fighter, F-4 Phantom II, MiG-21 Fishbed asingleengineandairintakesonthefuselage sideslip.
andtheJ35 Draken.The Draken wasthefirst sides. The 2105, also single-engined, had The Type 2108was another canard design
SwedishAirForceaircrafttobeequippedwith canards and a cropped-delta wing configura but with more of a swept wing than a delta,
adatalinksystemand,withthisfighter,theSer tion.Theairintakeswereagainonthesidesof while the Type 2111-4 had a Rockwell
vice began to build up its experience in such anoticeablysmaller, sleekerfuselage. designed wing based on that company's
systemsand appreciatetheirvalue incombat. The delta canard wingplan was also tested Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology
Third-generation aircraft were designed to with an airintake beneaththe nose, ratherlike (HiMAT) research aircraft. The Type 2111-4's
have numerous separate digital systems that theF-16,butSaabconcludedthatthisinletwas subsonic turn performance was improved
performedtheirowndedicatedtasksbutrelied notreallysuitableforasmallfighterbecauseof thankstothe lowerinduced drag andthe pro
on several computers to link them together. the threat from foreign object damage. Addi ject's aero-elastic properties would not com
Within this category come the F-16 Fighting tionally, it had ahigh head-on radar signature promise performance in other flight regimes.
Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, Mirage 2000-5, MiG-29 and the nose landing gear had to be placed Two remote-controlled HiMAT aircraft, each
FulcrumandtheJA37Viggen. behind the air inlet; this made the aircraft sit abouthalfthe sizeofthe F-16,weretest-flown
Fourth-generation fighters - led by the higher off the ground which did not help the between 1979 and January 1983 at NASA's
Gripen and including the F/A-22 Raptor, maintenanceaspect.Theshortwheelbasealso Dryden Flight Research Center. The Type
Typhoon, Rafale and the F-35 - have been placed restrictions on the size ofthe fuselage 2111-4'swingspanwas9%greaterthanthatof
designedfromtheoutsetasasingledigital unit weapon load. (Theengineers at Israeli Aircraft theType2105,sweepbackwas10%less,wing
with afully integrated computerised infrastruc Industriesdidnotfeelthatthiswassuchaprob area was 13% less but its weight was 3%
tureutilisingacommon database.This means lem for their Lavi fighter, but that fighter's greater.
that the sensors, weapons, control surfaces, slightly larger airframe nullified the weapon IG-JAShad untilJune 1981 todecidewhich
inputdevicesanddisplaysystemscanbeused loadweakness.) ofthese designswasthemostsuitableto offer
as information carriers and as information
providers in an endless number of combina
~_ ~'i"-'---'~-'
tions.Arelativelysimplewayofupdatingthese
aircraftisthroughimprovedsoftware.
All of these fourth-generation fighters, with
I
the exception of the F/A-22 and F-35, have b::-T.~--':::±±:=--t--.'.
something else in common: a delta canard ---'<::..----L no, - . c: -, . )( )(
configuration.Getting rid ofthetailplanesaves o ¢ o
dragandweight, butthecanarddoesincrease
the RCS while also possibly obscuring the
pilot'sdownwardsview.GeneralDynamics(the
F-16's original designer, before itwas merged
with Lockheed, and apartner in the F-22 pro
gramme) went so far as to say that the only
location for acanard was on another aircraft,
preferablytheenemy's!
TheNV-Odesign- basicallyahalf-scaleViggen
withrevisedwingsweep- initiatedtheProject
2100serieswhichincludeddesignsthat
retainedthecanardforeplanesbutotherwise
lookedquitedifferenttotheViggen.
SaabGripen 9