JAS 39 Gripens at Red Flag 2008

JAS 39 Gripens from the Swedish Air Force launch and recover during Red Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force Base on July 31, 2008.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• JAS
• 39
• Gripen
• Red
• Flag
• Swedish
• Air
• Force
• Jet
• Aviation
• Nellis

[Saffronwing1]

@foxrecon19d It isn't under-rated. US industries arm-twisted Norway, Netherlands, Denmark and Finland to acquire F-16s and accept American weapons. The Swedes were already this close to making the entire Nordic region a Gripen-armed area.

Unfortunately as US being the big boss, most countries are bullied to buy F-16s and Swedes are asked to stand down. This is what gives Gripen its under-rated image. Otherwise it is more agile and far more superior to the F-16s due to its characteristics.

[Ze3g0]

@bortkoppladpunktse Wow. So wrong. The whole idea of the Gripen was for it to fend off a large-scale invasion. It is designed for air-superiority and other duties. The difference is the logistical circumstances. The reason they have roadlanding capabilities is (simplified) so that it won't depend on airfields that make for huge targets in an invasion.

And you don't put a conscript in a plane like this, the pilots are supposed to be and are full-time professionals, not conscripts.

[tubrik245]

@DarkTemptation51 we dont need airfields at that scale.. ;) we have roads to land on if the runway is damaged.

[DarkTemptation51]

@Ze3g0 how funny if an invasion was comming and they destroyed all our airfields but then our jets comes out from forests, caves, holes, xD

[hotpocketpoison]

@Gogies777 the F-16E would cost around the same as the JAS-39 but would be superior in every way. also the F-35 has the most advanced radar ever put on a fighter(no other radar offers that kind of performance against ground and air targets),the most advanced jammers,360 degree detection,HMDS,very long range RWR,better aerodynamic performance while fully loaded than either the F-16 or F-18,stealth,and a much lower maintenance cost than previous stealth aircraft. $122million is WELL worth it.

[Gogies777]

@hotpocketpoison yeah look at the tag price of those aircrafts you have mentioned.underdeveloped over priced untsted aircraft for 150 million dollars and an f 16e that goes upwards to twice as much as what the gripen would cost.how did you even come up with that comparison.

[hotpocketpoison]

@Gogies777 the meteor is not any better than the AIM-120, it has slightly higher range but thats it. also aircraft with true STOL capabilities are the AV-8B and the F-35, the JAS-39 would still require a runway to take off, it even shows in this video. also the AN/APG-80 is immensely superior to even the AN/APG-68, which is still better than the JAS-39s radar, also the JAS-39 does not come with conformal fuel tanks and jammers, those must be installed later. so the F-16E is in a class of its own

[Gogies777]

@hotpocketpoison yes and with all those features you have mentioned installed on gripens will most probably cost a buyer 20million dollars cheaper than a falcon with equivalent gimmicks.and the stol,meteor and better manueverability still stands out.

[Gogies777]

@hotpocketpoison still its something tah f16s doesnt have that can be a deal breaker in some scenarios.

[hotpocketpoison]

@Gogies777 you think, it isnt like it can take off in a distance of 100 meters, it would still require some kind of small runway or long highway in order to takeoff, you are making it seem like it can take off in someones driveway.

[hotpocketpoison]

@Gogies777 the F-16 can and is still receiving upgrades(the new F-16E/F used by the Saudis uses the AN/APG-80 AESA radar, conformal fuel tanks, jammers, and newer targeting systems). but the reason the US isnt upgrading its F-16s is because they will soon be replaced by the far superior F-35. and if the nation you are fighting is not equipped with SAMs then it doesnt really matter what plane you have, you could use a P-47 and cause damage. also the JAS-39s STOL capability is not as dramatic as-

[Gogies777]

@hotpocketpoison does that make you wonder what if teh integration of this radar or anything that is deemed similar can be integrated into gripens.the gripens are pretty much newer platform than the f 16s and can still accomodate further upgrades and modifications.also with my explanation earlier about some country sent to do airstrikes into the airfields of vietnam or philippines defeats your argument about it being not realistic or practical and can only be done by ground attacks according 2 u