Aircraft

Saab's next-generation Gripen E fighter makes maiden flight

Saab's next-generation Gripen E fighter makes maiden flight
The Saab Gripen E flew for 40 minutes over Swedish airspace
The Saab Gripen E flew for 40 minutes over Swedish airspace
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The Saab Gripen E has advacned avionics
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The Saab Gripen E has advacned avionics
The Saab Gripen E with pilot Marcus Wandt at the controls
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The Saab Gripen E with pilot Marcus Wandt at the controls
Marcus Wandt giving the thumbs up
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Marcus Wandt giving the thumbs up
The Saab Gripen E can do Mach 2
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The Saab Gripen E can do Mach 2
The Saab Gripen E flew for 40 minutes over Swedish airspace
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The Saab Gripen E flew for 40 minutes over Swedish airspace
The Saab Gripen E landng at the Saab airfield
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The Saab Gripen E landng at the Saab airfield
The Saab Gripen E is a network capable fighter
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The Saab Gripen E is a network capable fighter
Saab experimental test pilot Marcus Wandt
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Saab experimental test pilot Marcus Wandt
The Saab Gripen E has ten hard points
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The Saab Gripen E has ten hard points
The Saab Gripen E is designed to be quickly modified
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The Saab Gripen E is designed to be quickly modified
The Saab Gripen E weapons selection
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The Saab Gripen E weapons selection
View gallery - 11 images

Saab's next-generation fighter, the Gripen E, has taken to the skies for the first time. At 10:32 am CET on June 15, the prototype delta-wing multi-role fighter set out on its maiden flight from Linköping, Sweden with Saab test pilot Marcus Wandt at the controls. During the 40-minute flight over the eastern parts of Östergötland, the latest Gripen variant executed a series of maneuvers to test its systems, including extending and retracting its landing gear.

Based on the Gripen C/D fighter aircraft, Saab says that the US$85 million Gripen E or Gripen E/F is completely redesigned with an all-new avionics suite and software that allows it to be modified at short notice without extensive layovers. It's fully NATO interoperable and includes Network Centric Warfare (NCW) technology for advanced data communications, dual data links, satellite communications, and video links.

"The flight was just as expected, with the aircraft performance matching the experience in our simulations," Wandt said after the flight. "Its acceleration performance is impressive with smooth handling. Needless to say I'm very happy to have piloted this maiden flight."

Saab experimental test pilot Marcus Wandt
Saab experimental test pilot Marcus Wandt

The Gripen E has an overall length of 15.2 m (49.9 ft), a wingspan of 8.6 m (28.2 ft) and has a maximum takeoff weight of 16,500 kg (36,400 lb). Its GE Aviation F414G engine gives it 20 percent more thrust than its predecessor for a maximum speed of Mach 2 (1,522 mph, 2,450 km/h) in Supercruise mode at high altitude.

With its 10 hard points, the Gripen E can carry a wide variety of armaments and pods, including METEOR, AMRAAM, IRIS-T, and AIM-9 missiles; JDAM bombs; and machine gun pods. It also has AESA radar, IRST passive sensors, Head-Mounted Displays, advanced avionics, next-generation data processing, and a state-of-the-art cockpit. In addition, it's designed for a combat turnaround time of 10 minutes and the entire engine can be replaced in one hour.

The Saab Gripen E is designed to be quickly modified
The Saab Gripen E is designed to be quickly modified

"Today we have flown this world class fighter aircraft for the first time," says Jonas Hjelm, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab Business Area Aeronautics. "We achieved it with the fully qualified software for the revolutionary avionics system. This is about giving our customers a smart fighter system with the future designed in from the start. The flight test activities will continue to build on this achievement with the program on track to achieve the 2019 delivery schedule to our Swedish and Brazilian customers."

The video below shows the Gripen E taking to the air for the first time.

Source: Saab

First flight success for Gripen E

View gallery - 11 images
8 comments
8 comments
KaiserPingo
Its a great multi-role fighter. Unlike the F35, it works. And a lot cheaper !!!
guzmanchinky
I'll post a counterpoint: It looks like something that was designed in the 70's. No stealth at all that I can discern? My guess is that an F-22 can eat it for breakfast, and once they work the bugs out of the F-35 it will eat it for lunch...
SteveBusby
I suspect that, when all the bugs are worked out of the F-35, we'll end up with a VTOL variant of the F-22.
ezeflyer
With drones taking over, what will be the role of fighter aircraft?
DerekHollingshead
Looks like a great replacement for Canada's CF-18s 👀
RJB
Sweden, the neutral country that profits from wars. Nice.
KaiserPingo
Well, stealth is primarily useful for countries, that wanna make surprise attacks on other countries... And its got a lot to do with electronics, that the Swedes knows all about. The Gripen has so far been very able to handle threats and to work well in multirole. Better than the Americans not yet finished and horribly expensive plane, that drones can take out.
JimShoes
RJB, Since when has Sweden declared itself as being a neutral country? It's one of the most active members of NATO. Get a clue.