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Saab JAS 39 Gripen

Saab · Fighter / Attack · Sweden · Modern (1992–2009)

Saab JAS 39 Gripen — Fighter / Attack
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The Saab JAS 39 Gripen ("Griffin") is a single-engine, canard-delta multirole fighter developed by Saab AB for the Swedish Air Force as a lightweight, low-cost successor to the Saab 37 Viggen and Saab 35 Draken. The early-1980s JAS (Jakt-Attack-Spaning, or Fighter-Attack-Reconnaissance) requirement called for an aircraft a single technician could turn around in 10 minutes, that could operate from any 2,500 ft straight stretch of road, and that could master all three combat missions. First flight came in 1988; Flygvapnet entered service in 1997. It remains the smallest, lightest, and least-expensive Western fourth-generation fighter currently in production.

Fleet economy is the aircraft's signature. Empty weight is 14,990 lb — barely a third of an F-15 — and the licence-built Volvo RM12 turbofan, a Swedish derivative of the GE F404 used in the F/A-18, produces 18,100 lbf with afterburner for a top speed of Mach 2 at altitude. Internal range with three drop tanks reaches 2,000 mi. Cost-per-flight-hour runs about $4,700 — under one-third of the Eurofighter Typhoon and around a quarter of the F-35. Saab built the airframe specifically for dispersed wartime operations across Sweden's road-base network, with conscript ground crews trained to refuel and rearm in 10 minutes using a five-person team. The BASE 90 dispersed operations concept the Gripen was built around remains unique among modern fighter programmes.

Three major standards have entered service. The original A/B/C/D variants (1997–2017) were built around analogue-derived avionics with the PS-05/A pulse-Doppler radar, and equip Sweden, Czechia, Hungary, South Africa, and Thailand. The Gripen E/F (NG, "New Generation") arrived in 2019 as a redesigned aircraft: the more powerful F414G engine (22,000 lbf), Selex Raven ES-05 AESA radar, 40% more internal fuel, two extra hardpoints, and full integration of the Meteor BVR missile. Sweden, Brazil, Thailand, and Colombia operate or have ordered the E/F. Production through 2026 stands at 271 airframes, with around 100 more on firm order through 2032.

Combat experience has been limited. South African Gripens have flown air-policing missions; Czech and Hungarian Gripens fly NATO Baltic Air Policing rotations from Šiauliai (Lithuania) and Ämari (Estonia); and Swedish Gripens have flown reconnaissance over the Baltic since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sweden's 2024 NATO accession has expanded the type's alliance role. The Czech Republic begins transition to F-35 from 2030, but Hungary, Brazil, Thailand, Colombia, and the South African Air Force will continue Gripen operations into the 2040s. The aircraft is also the leading candidate for the proposed Brazil-Sweden joint development of a fifth-generation light fighter for the 2040 timeframe.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a fighter jet made in Sweden. Its name means "Griffin," a mythical creature that is part eagle and part lion. It was built to replace two older Swedish jets. The Gripen first flew in 1988 and joined the Swedish Air Force in 1997.

The Gripen is the smallest and lightest Western fourth-generation fighter jet still being made today. It is smaller than most other modern fighters. Its empty weight is smaller than a third of the weight of an American F-15. That makes it much easier and cheaper to keep flying.

One cool thing about the Gripen is how fast crews can get it ready. A single technician can turn the jet around in just 10 minutes. It can also take off and land on a regular road, as long as the road is at least 2,500 feet long. This means it does not need a big airbase to operate from.

The Gripen can fly as fast as Mach 2. That is twice the speed of sound! It can travel up to 2,000 miles using extra fuel tanks. It costs much less to fly than most rival jets, making it a smart choice for many countries around the world.

Fun Facts

  • The Gripen's name means 'Griffin,' a mythical beast that is part eagle and part lion.
  • The Gripen is smaller than a third of the weight of an F-15 fighter jet.
  • One technician can get the Gripen ready to fly again in just 10 minutes!
  • The Gripen can take off from a straight stretch of road instead of a normal runway.
  • It can fly at Mach 2, which is twice the speed of sound.
  • Flying a Gripen costs much less per hour than flying a rival jet like the Eurofighter Typhoon.
  • The Gripen's engine is based on the same engine used in the American F/A-18 jet.
  • Sweden's air force has been flying the Gripen since 1997.

Kids’ Questions

What does 'Gripen' mean?

Gripen is the Swedish word for 'Griffin.' A Griffin is a mythical creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. It is a powerful symbol, which is a fitting name for a fighter jet.

Why can the Gripen land on a road?

The Gripen was designed to work away from big airbases during wartime. Any straight stretch of road about 2,500 feet long is enough for it to take off and land. This makes it very hard for an enemy to stop it from flying.

Is the Gripen expensive to fly?

No! The Gripen is one of the cheapest modern fighter jets to operate. It costs far less per flight hour than most rival jets. That is one big reason why many countries around the world want to buy it.

Variants

Gripen A / B
Initial 1997 production variant (A single-seat, B two-seat). PS-05/A radar, RM12 engine, analogue-derived avionics. Most upgraded to C/D standard or retired by 2020.
Gripen C / D
Mid-life standard with NATO-compatible avionics, in-flight refuelling probe, full colour cockpit, and Link 16 datalink. The mainstay variant for export operators (Czechia, Hungary, South Africa, Thailand). Compatible with AIM-120, AIM-9X, Meteor (in late upgrades), Iris-T, Brimstone, and KEPD 350.
Gripen E / F (NG)
New Generation variant (entered service 2019). F414G engine, Selex ES-05 Raven AESA radar, 40% more internal fuel, 10 hardpoints (vs 8), and Saab's MFS-Aspis EW suite. The current production standard.
Gripen Aggressor
U.S. Air Force / commercial-aggressor configuration proposed by Saab for adversary air training contracts. No firm orders as of 2026, though several U.S. companies have evaluated it.
Gripen Maritime
Carrier-capable derivative proposed for the Brazilian Navy and as a potential UK competitor for the F-35B. Strengthened gear, arrestor hook. Not in firm production.

Notable Operators

Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet)
Largest operator — 96 Gripen C/D and 60 Gripen E airframes across F 7 Såtenäs, F 17 Ronneby, and F 21 Luleå. Sweden's 2024 NATO accession has expanded the air-policing role across the Baltic.
Czech / Hungarian Air Forces
Operate 14 Gripen C and 14 Gripen C/D respectively under long-term lease arrangements. Both contribute to NATO Baltic Air Policing. The Czech Republic plans transition to F-35A from 2030.
South African Air Force
Operates 26 Gripen C/D from AFB Makhado. The largest Gripen fleet outside Europe; the controversial 1999 procurement under the multi-platform South African defence package remains in service.
Brazilian Air Force / Royal Thai Air Force / Colombian Air Force
Brazil received the first of 36 Gripen E (designated F-39E) from 2019 with most still on order; Thailand operates 12 Gripen C/D from Surat Thani; Colombia ordered 17 Gripen E in 2024 to replace the Kfir fleet from 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Gripen so much cheaper to operate than other fighters?

Deliberate design. Saab built the Gripen to be operated by Sweden's conscript-based defence force from dispersed road bases, with the explicit requirement that one specialist plus four conscripts could refuel, rearm, and turn the aircraft around in 10 minutes between sorties. The result is exceptional ease of maintenance: the F404-derived RM12 engine can be changed in under an hour, no special hangar facilities are required, and most maintenance is at first-line / squadron level. Reported cost-per-flight-hour is about $4,700 — compared with around $14,000 for the Eurofighter Typhoon, $20,000–28,000 for the Rafale, and $35,000+ for the F-35 (depending on lifecycle accounting).

What is BASE 90 and how does it relate to the Gripen?

BAS 90 is the Swedish dispersed-operations concept developed in the 1980s in response to the threat that Soviet pre-emptive missile strikes would destroy fixed Swedish air bases in the opening hours of a war. The system designates ~700 stretches of straight 800–2,500 m road across Sweden as wartime dispersal airfields, with pre-positioned fuel and weapons depots. The Gripen was designed from the outset around BAS 90: short-field STOL performance, road-takeoff steering, conscript-friendly maintenance, and a reduced equipment footprint that fits in a few trucks. The concept gained renewed relevance with the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and Sweden's 2024 NATO accession.

How does the Gripen compare to the F-16 Fighting Falcon?

Similar weight class and price point but different design philosophies. The F-16 is a single-engine air-superiority-derived multirole fighter optimised for energy-management combat with conventional take-off and landing operations. The Gripen is optimised for short-field operations, low maintenance burden, and ease of upgrade. Combat radar performance and BVR engagement range are roughly comparable on Block 70 F-16V and Gripen E with AESA. Cost-per-flight-hour heavily favours Gripen. Export competitions have split — Iraq, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania chose F-16; Czechia, Hungary, Brazil, and Colombia chose Gripen.

What is the difference between Gripen C/D and Gripen E/F?

The Gripen E (single-seat) and F (two-seat) are redesigned aircraft, not just an upgrade. Key differences: GE F414G engine (22,000 lbf vs RM12's 18,100 lbf), 40% more internal fuel, two extra hardpoints (10 vs 8), Selex ES-05 Raven AESA radar (replacing the older PS-05/A), MFS-Aspis EW suite, electric actuators replacing some hydraulics, and a redesigned forward fuselage. Empty weight is up roughly 1,500 lb, but combat radius and weapons load have grown more, so payload-radius performance is much better. (Saab Gripen E factsheet)

Has the Gripen seen combat?

Limited combat. South African Gripens have flown air-policing missions but no shooting engagements. Czech and Hungarian Gripens fly NATO Baltic Air Policing rotations and have intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic without escalation. Swedish Gripens have flown reconnaissance over the Baltic and Norwegian Seas since 2022 but have not engaged. No Gripen has scored an air-to-air kill or been lost to enemy action.

Why did Brazil choose Gripen over F/A-18 and Rafale?

The 2014 F-X2 Brazilian Air Force competition selected Gripen E primarily on cost (around $4.5 billion for 36 aircraft vs nearly twice that for F/A-18 Super Hornet or Rafale), the offered technology transfer (Embraer is co-producing the Brazilian Gripen E and the F variant is being co-developed), and political factors after the 2013 Snowden revelations damaged U.S.–Brazil relations. The deal positions Brazil as a Gripen export co-developer and gives Saab a long-term industrial partner in South America.

What replaced the Gripen in Sweden?

Sweden has not announced a Gripen replacement. The Gripen E will remain the front-line Swedish fighter into the 2040s. Sweden joined the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS / SCAF) discussion as an observer after NATO accession, and a Saab-Embraer joint sixth-generation light fighter remains in study for a 2040+ timeframe. Sweden has not joined the UK / Italy / Japan-led GCAP / Tempest programme.

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