A Swedish Air Force Saab JAS-39C Gripen displaying at RAF Fairford on the Saturday of the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2023. This Gripen is from the Skaraborg Air Force Wing (Swedish: Skaraborgs flygflottilj), also F 7 Såtenäs, or simply F 7 Wing of the Swedish Air Force based near Lidköping in south-central Sweden. All Swedish and foreign Gripen pilots are trained by the Skaraborg wing.
The JAS 39 Gripen multi-role fighter is the latest in a long line of outstanding jet combat aircraft produced by Swedish manufacturer Saab. However, it differs from its stablemates in having achieved a good deal of international sales success.
In 1979, the Swedish government began development studies for "an aircraft for fighter, attack, and reconnaissance" (ett jakt-, attack- och spaningsflygplan, hence "JAS") to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force. A new design from Saab was selected and developed as the JAS 39. The Gripen prototype first flew towards the end of 1988 and Sweden bought an initial 204 examples of the early 'A' and 'B' model aircraft.
The SAAB JAS 39 Gripen is a light-weight multi-role fighter indigenously developed by Sweden to replace the legendary Draken and Viggen with the Swedish Air Force.
The Gripen is powered by the Volvo RM12 turbofan which is a licence built version of the General Electric F404, the same engine that powers the original versions of the F-18 Hornet. The Gripen has been designed to operate from roads and snow-covered runways that are less than 500 metres long.
Production deliveries of the JAS 39A began in 1993 and the upgraded JAS 39C was delivered from 2003. A heavily upgraded version designated the JAS 39E has been developed in conjunction with Brazil with new avionics, a heavier payload, strengthened airframe and undercarriage and powered by the F414 - the same engine as used in the Super Hornet.
Following deliveries commencing in 1993, the first JAS 39A entered service with the Swedish Air Force in 1997. The fleet was upgraded to JAS 39C standard which included an air to air refuelling capability, improved avionics and the ability to generate oxygen on board to increase flight time. During 2011, the Gripen was deployed to police the no-fly zone over Libya where they flew over 650 combat missions. A total of 204 Gripens have been delivered to Sweden - 28 of which are leased to the Czech Republic and Hungary - with 98 currently in active service with the Swedish Air Force.
In December 2022 Sweden ordered an upgrade package from Saab for a number of their Gripen C/D fighters. The upgrade includes new engines, a new radar and a new electronic warfare system. The order value is approximately SEK 3.5 billion and the contract period is 2023–29.[179] In September 2023 Swedish FMV and Saab signed additional orders for the Gripen E and C/D versions. The new orders enables the C/D version to continue serving after 2030 parallel with the introduction of the E.
Index of the 204 Gripen delivered to Sweden:-
98 Gripens operative C/D-version aircraft.
32 Gripens disassembled or destroyed. JAS 39D required two 39A hulls to build.
28 Gripens leased to the Czech Republic and Hungary.
24 Gripens in hangar storage awaiting decommission.
12 Gripens sold to Thailand.
4 Gripens returned to Saab to be used as test aircraft.
4 Gripens lost in accidents.
2 Gripens donated to Flygvapenmuseum in Sweden and Royal Thai Air Force Museum in Thailand.
Gripen operators:-
Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa, Thailand, Brazil, UK (Empire Test Pilot's School).
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