Gripen-E

Fighter focus

Really? Saab Still builds fighters? that was the response i got from a friend when i told him i was going to linkping to see Saabs progress with its latest fighter

aircraft. it made me consider that, maybe, there is a general lack of understanding about what the Swedes do, and do so well.

Saab has a long and fascinating history in military aviation, closely tied to national requirements and often in more distant times with only a partial eye on the export market. that is definitely in the past.

the Saab JaS 39 Gripen dates back to the late 1970s and a Swedish air Force requirement to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen. Sweden has a reputation for building intuitive fighters with ingenious avionics systems as part of projects designed to meet national aspirations. While Saab initially set out to apply much of its existing ethos to the Gripen, it decided from the outset to make an aircraft with the future very much in mind. in fact, if anything, the hardware was constructed around a plan for constantly evolving software standards, to allow the aircraft to develop and grow in stature over time.

Saab was set a demanding list of requirements in order to replace the popular and capable Viggen, and with no practical option for different versions the Gripen had to be multi-role and affordable from the outset.

lennart Sindahl, Saab abs head of aeronautics, commented: life-cycle cost efficiency is built into the Gripens DNa. it is this fundamental concept that makes Saabs fighter such an attractive prospect now. it is also why Saab is able to say with confidence

that the next generation of Gripens will be more capable, yet less expensive, than their predecessors.

Gripen originstodays Gripen project was born through a Swedish Defense Materiel administration (Frsvarets Materiel Verk, FMV) development contract placed on June 30, 1982, calling for five prototypes and an initial 30 production aircraft. the first prototype made its maiden flight on December 9, 1988, but it was flying into a world of geo-political change. the berlin Wall was about to fall, and air forces in europe were starting to feel the pressures induced by the thawing of the Cold War.

there are few countries these days with a fighter aircraft force of over 100 aircraft, but when the Gripen first took to the air this was commonplace. the Swedish air Force requirement was originally set at 280 Gripens to equip 16 squadrons, but this was soon revised down to 204 production JaS 39a/bs. initial deliveries started in 1993, with F 7 wing at Stens achieving initial operating capability (iOC) in September 1997.

Swedish air Force plans announced in 2006 reduced the operational fleet to a total strength of 100 improved JaS 39C/D Gripens, but at the same time allowed the air arm to improve capabilities within the smaller core. this was to be achieved through the upgrade of 31 earlier aircraft to a new JaS 39C/D standard, plus new-build airframes for a total Swedish fleet of 75 JaS39Cs and 25 two-seat JaS39Ds. this process will be complete by 2015, when the last of the 31 upgraded jets will be returned to service in a project that has admittedly been a slow-burner, so as to help maintain the production line at linkping.

the contract for upgrading the 31 a/b Gripens to C/D standard was valued at SeK (Swedish Krona) 3,900 million, approximately $600 million in current terms). importantly, it also included some initial funding for future development work on the next-generation Gripen.

Changed ethosMaj Gen Micael bydn, the current commander of the Swedish air Force, comments: We need to be able to meet a high-end adversary, so we have a high level of readiness, with high availability and the ability to operate independently or be interoperable with others. at the end of the Cold War Sweden had 20 fighter squadrons and 10 per cent of the population was in the armed forces. the country had a strong policy of defended neutrality and the JaS 39a/b was designed and built with the national mission very much in mind. today, Sweden is in the european Union, and although it is not a full NatO member it works closely as a partner. the end of the Cold War marked a comprehensive transformation, in the words of Gen bydn.

in the past we looked east and knew where the threat came from. Now, we operate with others, potentially far away. bydn is aware of the need for a balanced homeland defense force that is also adept at international missions. all of our focus went to interoperability, he says, while also admitting that Sweden lost track a little of national defense.

Sweden has operated as a fully net-centric force since 1998, although the Swedish use of key technologies such as datalinks goes back to the Draken era of

report: Jamie Hunter

88 June 2014 www.combataircraft.net

the 1960s. The problem, Bydn notes, was that the Swedish datalink system didnt talk to anyone else. The move to the Gripen C/D was thus designed with international interoperability in mind. This manifested itself in six key areas: weaponry, availability, communications, deployability, service life, and endurance. The Gripen C/D went Imperial and eliminated the use of Swedish language in the cockpit displays; it featured the common Link 16 datalink and secure voice communications via Have Quick II radios all major changes. Sweden started participating in international exercises, and in 2011 (for the first time in 50 years, since Saab J 29s were deployed on a UN mission to the Congo) the Swedish Air Force launched fighters for an international task in Operation Unified Protector over Libya.

Today, the air arm has just four fighter squadrons at three main operating bases: two front-line wings, F 17 Ronneby and F21 Lule, plus training wing F 7 Stens. It is a small, lean air force that retains a broad scope of capabilities. However, as Gen Bydn notes, Im not sure how I could sustain operations in a large-scale conflict over a long period of time.

The Gripen fleet boasts some impressive statistics. The Swedish Air Force has now flown over 90,000 hours with its Gripen C/Ds, with two losses (one an un-commanded ejection and the other during a ground incident). It also quotes a cost per flying hour for the Gripen at SEK 48,000, which equates to $7,500 including fuel. Gen Bydn says: If it wasnt affordable we wouldnt have it. To buy an aircraft is one thing, but life-cycle cost is more significant. There is, he stressed, little point in developing a new fighter that is going

to destroy your ability to maintain a balanced overall force structure.

It was simply unrealistic for Sweden to operate a twin-engined fighter with F-35-type stealth capability. However, it is worth adding that the Swedes have certainly not ignored signature reduction, and that through non-traditional use of such things as datalinks it might be possible to compensate for not being a fully stealthy aircraft.

Stepped upgradesSaab and the FMV set out a broad range of important enhancements as they embarked on the upgrade from the Gripen A/B to the C/D variant. Firstly, it re-used major components from the A/B airframes, reducing costs and the expensive flight-test burden. Obsolescence is a very significant concern for modern fighter aircraft, regardless of where they are manufactured and operated. A modern PC is out of date as soon as you leave the shop a fighter that is set to be in service for 30 to 35 years is going to have a tough time staying relevant. Fighters are expensive to design and build and have a cradle-to-grave life that far exceeds any technical or political futures.

The big-ticket elements for the C/D evolution were a robust BVR (beyond visual range) and WVR (within visual range) capability, air-to-surface strike capability, and the option for reconnaissance. Subsequent Gripen upgrades have been carefully planned for approximately every third year. The current fleet standard is Mission System 19 (MS19) Block II. By next year this will move to MS20, which will add the MBDA

Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), Boeings GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), improved radar modes, a digital close air support capability, increased Link 16 connectivity, civil navigation enhancements, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protection for the pilot, the SPK 39 Modular Reconnaissance Pod II and a ground collision avoidance system (GCAS).

Having failed to receive funding for allocation of a Eurofighter Typhoon testbed, MBDA used a Gripen for trials of the Meteor beginning on March 24, 2007. These involved calibration prior to the first actual launch on May 23, 2007, allowing Saab to get a head start with this new weapon. It has since continued Meteor firing tests. Full integration is expected in late 2014 following a final round of firings at the Vidsel range.

Saab will continue offering upgrades to the Gripen C/D to maintain the types capability beyond the introduction to service of the forthcoming Gripen E. However, MS20 is the last planned increment for the Gripen C/D, and the Gripen E will be introduced at MS21 standard. Additional Gripen C/D upgrades may be classified as MS 20+, and so on.

Export GripenIn 1996, export expectations for the

Gripen were put at around 250 anticipated sales over 20 years. At

that time Saab had partnered with British Aerospace, later BAE

Systems, and engaged in export campaigns in Austria, Brazil,

Czech Republic, Chile, Poland, South Africa and Slovenia.

New-production aircraft have been ordered for South

Aircraft serial 39-7 is a converted JAS 39D, now known as the Gripen Demo. This has been an important

trials platform over recent years for the development of the Gripen E.

Saab

89 89www.combataircraft.net June 2014

Africa and Thailand, with former Swedish Air Force JAS 39s being supplied to the Czech Republic and Hungary.

South Africa selected the Gripen in November 1998 and received a total of 26 aircraft. Thailand has now taken on 12 new-build Gripens (as F-5 replacements) and is likely to acquire more, the air force there having already set out a requirement for a further six jets. Meanwhile, the UKs Empire Test Pilots School has leased hours in a Gripen D for its advanced jet training syllabus.

Saab achieved success in appealing to countries with more modest defense budgets, notably in Eastern Europe. Surplus Swedish Gripens made up the Czech order thanks to a $1-billion, 10-year lease deal agreed in June 2004 for 14 JAS 39C/Ds. Under a similar 10-year lease deal, Hungary operates 14 re-manufactured Swedish JAS 39A/Bs, which are designated as the JAS 39 EBS HU. Hungary now has a need to replace its second retired MiG-29 squadron, and the Gripen is the obvious candidate.

The Czech Republic recently announced that it is to extend its lease for another 14 years. The contract includes training and

aircraft upgrades as well as continued logistical and operational support.

Bulgaria and Croatia have also monitored the Gripen program closely and received regular proposals for similar deals. However, neither has materialized. Saab engaged with a number of European air arms to offer fully-fledged alternatives to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in places such as Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. Only Denmark now shows any signs of considering options other than the F-35, although Saab is also engaged with Belgium, where a new fighter requirement is slowly emerging.

The small pool of customers has consequences for the Swedish Air Force and in the past could have served as a discouragement to new buyers. However, Saab feels that this has lessened following recent decisions in Brazil and even Switzerland. It has worked tirelessly to both forge new relationships and create a common European pool and share scheme among current and potential operators, much the same as the F-16 EPAF structure.

Brig Gen Nndor Kilin is a former Hungarian MiG-29 pilot, who was one of the first cadre to move to the new Gripens. Hungarian options included upgrading their existing MiG-29s or purchasing second-hand fighters. It initially favored F-16s before turning to the 10-year Gripen lease, with the option to purchase. We were very close to getting the F-16; we even knew when we would go into the desert to choose them, Kilin says. We would have received the used aircraft for free, but we would have to pay for the upgrades such as Falcon UP and the MLU. But we didnt see these as a step forward from an operational point of view. In the end, Hungary opted for 14 JAS 39A/Bs that were upgraded to C/D standard.

Hungary now operates its national quick reaction alert with two pilots at 15-minute readiness. We have about 15 pilots trained, explained Brig Gen Kilin. The pilots complete their training at NFTC in Canada, then come to Sweden for basic Gripen training. They complete that training in Hungary, and by the time they have 100 flying hours they can start QRA flying. In the MiG-21 about 70 to 80 per cent of your

attention is spent looking after the aircraft; in the MiG-29 it is maybe 50 per cent, whereas the Gripen is easy to fly maybe 10 to 20 per cent of your attention. So. you can use the bigger part of your attention for the tactical work.

With a basic weapons package of AIM-9L Sidewinder, AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM, Litening III targeting pod and TV-guided AGM-65 Maverick, Hungary is seeking additional weapons for close air support, which will likely include the GBU-39 SDB.

The move to Gripen EAccording to Ulf Nilsson, head of the Gripen program at Saab, it is clear to see the path that the Gripen has followed. The Gripen A/B was a national focus, with the C/D variant being more of an international focus with NATO interoperability. Now, with the Gripen E, we are turning this to a performance focus, with improved sensors and a multi-functional aircraft.

Once again, the move to the next-generation Gripen planned for the re-use of some existing Gripen C/D equipment, albeit on a more modest scale than the A/B to C/D transition. Major items being re-used in the Gripen E comprise the canopy, ejection seat and ailerons.

However, the latest news from Sweden is that Gripen E production will now be an entirely new-build process, with no need to rely on the existing C/D airframes. This is welcome news for the Swedish Air Force as it will take pressure off the front-line C/D fleet during the transition to the Gripen E. It will also help free up airframes for potential export users.

In planning for the next generation of fighter, Sweden looked at a number of options. It examined the potential to purchase a completely different platform as Option A. Option B involved taking the existing Gripen airframe and the same engine, and inserting future technology. Option C1 looked at a new Gripen airframe design, with a new engine and new, but known, technology. The last option, C2, involved a new airframe, new engine and all-new technology.

In the event, they went for Option C1 this is the Gripen E.

This photo: A unique photo from May 2012 of Gripens from all customer

nations. Saab/Jamie Hunter

Top left: The Swedish Air Force does not foresee a need for a two-seat training version of the Gripen E,

although Brazil may require a twin-seat Gripen F. Alexander Golz


The Gripen E is in effect the MS21-standard aircraft, again reflecting how the hardware fits in around the software. Designed to be capable until 2040, the initial proposal that went to the Swedish government was for 60 to 80 aircraft. In January 2013, the decision was taken to procure 60 Gripen Es for the Swedish Air Force, with no two-seat Gripen F. More recently, inspired by an increasingly bellicose Russian presence in the Baltic and elsewhere, Swedish Defense Minister Karin Enstrm has called for the Gripen E order to be increased from 60 to 70 aircraft.

When the Swedish Parliament elected to pursue the Gripen E, it was also decided that one strategic partner should be sought to help bear and share the cost. This was new territory for the Swedish manufacturer, and Saabs victory in the Swiss fighter competition soon provided that very opportunity.

A two-part Swiss Air Force evaluation in 2008-09 to find a suitable F-5E replacement was leaked in 2011, following the announcement that the Gripen NG (Next Generation) had been selected. The Swiss evaluations reportedly identified Frances Dassault Rafale as the only aircraft to exceed the minimum criteria, placing the Gripen C/D behind the Eurofighter Typhoon. The leaked reports were incomplete and seemed to show that the Gripen C/D had failed to meet minimum expected capabilities across the board it was placed third in all but two of the five role categories assessed. However, it is now clear that this gave only a partial assessment of the Swedish fighter.

Col Fabio Antognini, a project manager for the Swiss evaluation, commented: Our decision was to take 22 Gripen Es in exactly the same configuration as the Swedish Air Force. We will use these for air-to-air, air-to-ground, and we will also re-gain the recce operational task. The Gripen E offers more weapons and more flexibility with increased fuel, more thrust and longer combat air patrol (CAP) time it has more persistence.

Richard Smith, Saabs Swiss campaign director, explained the finer points of the Swiss deal. The competition initially placed the Gripen C/D (later the MS21-standard Gripen E) against the Tranche 3 Typhoon, the Rafale and the Boeing Super Hornet. The

request for information (RFI) initially called for two non-binding offers to be submitted to Armasuisse in 2008 for both 33 and 22 aircraft; a further proposal in April 2009 incorporated Alternatives A and B, which respectively panned out as a price for 22 aircraft and an offer for x-number of fighters at a fixed price of 2.2 billion Swiss Francs (CHF). Following a number of on/off decisions, the final award came in November 2011 the MS21 Gripen E was selected.

The deal includes a strong industrial package and a 100 per cent offset. The total cost for buying and setting up with 22 new aircraft is CHF 3.126 billion including infrastructure. The Saab portion totals CHF 2.2 billion including training and support, while weapons/sensors and laser-designator pods comprise CHF 0.3 billion. In addition, and at further cost, Switzerland is looking at the interim use of 11 JAS 39C/Ds (eight single-seaters and three two-seaters) in MS20 standard from 2016 to 2020.

The Swiss procurement opened the door for the Gripen Es go-ahead. The first production-standard prototype (aircraft 39-8) will fly in 2015. It, along with two further development aircraft, will be formally handed over to Sweden in the second quarter of 2018, followed by two more in 2019, three in 2020 and the balance from 2021 onwards. The Swiss plan calls for 11 Gripen Es from mid-2018 to 2019, and 11 more from 2020 to 2021.

In Switzerland, the procurement is still subject to one more round of a democratic process. The countrys Parliament blessed the decision with a huge majority, the ensuing Gripen Fund Law being passed by 118 to 67 votes. However, the final hurdle is a public referendum relating to the release of funds, which is set for May 18.

Regardless of the outcome Sweden has now firmly committed to the program, with the Brazilian decision of December 18 last helping cement the future of the Gripen E. The Brazilian governments selection of the Gripen E as its next-generation fighter came on the same day as Saab received the Swedish production contract. It put an end to more than 15 years of discussions and speculation that had swirled around Brazils FX-2 project. The Brazilian Air Force

has an initial requirement for 36 aircraft, which will grow to around 100, subject to successful contract negotiations. According to an official statement, the air arm concluded that the Gripen was the best option from an operational standpoint and in terms of cost. Unlike the other two prospective users (Sweden and Switzerland), Brazil has set out a requirement for a two-seat Gripen F.

Brazil, as with Switzerland, also requires a bridging solution (for 10 aircraft). This has consequences for the Swedish Air Force as it is only able to call upon a pool of 95 remaining Gripen C/Ds. The Swiss requirement would sap the Swedish fleet by a further 11 precious aircraft. For Gen Bydn its a tight equation, but currently manageable. We will have a full fleet [of Gripen C/Ds] next year. When we start the Gripen E [program] we will peak at 95.

However, with other lease deals for Gripen C/Ds mooted in Malaysia, for example options to take on these aircraft may become exhausted, unless the 60 airframes earmarked for re-generation as Gripen Es for the Swedish commitment are made available.

Gripen E programThe next generation of Gripen started to be developed in earnest during 2007. Initially planned as both single-seat E and two-seat F models, the plan has settled on just the single-seater, unless a specific customer for the F-model (either as a trainer or with a missionized rear cockpit) comes forward. The Swiss initially had a two-seat requirement, but when factoring in costs and the use of simulators it was felt that progressing solely with the single-seat E offered the best solution, although Brazil may stick with the two-seat requirement and co-development could be an option. Swedens Gripen Ds will remain in service until the full fleet of Gripen Es has been delivered in about 2026.

The Gripen E will also tap into the existing C/D weapons range including the IRIS-T, AIM-120 AMRAAM, air-to-surface missiles such as the Rb 75 (AGM-65 Maverick), and anti-shipping missiles like the Saab RBS 15F, upgraded with an air-to-ground capability.

Adding to this, the Gripen E will feature a new active electronically scanned array

The cost of a Gripen E is going to be lower than the cost of a Gripen C. Flexible production rates have increased efficiency in production by 30 per cent Lars Ydreskog, Head of Aero Operations, Saab

This image of a JAS 39C was taken in the assembly hall at Linkping in 2011. Work is already under way

on the building of the first Gripen E. Jamie Hunter


All JAS 39C/D capability from day one in the JAS 39E.

Increased range. Main gear is moved and old main gear bay is now used for extra 1,100kg of internal fuel.

Two new fuselage pylon stations, left and right.

Mil Std 1760E class II interface to all pylons. New anti-surface missile, Gen4 Litening laser

designator pod (LDP) plus RecceLite. Crypto, jam-resistant fighter link. Reduced radar cross section (RCS) this is a contractual obligation. New electronic warfare (EW) system. Missile approach warning (MAW) sensors

linked to automatic chaff/flare launchers. Decreased airframe weight/design weight. New mission software standards: (M1) WS21

and (N1) WS22.

GRIPEN E AT A GLANCE (AESA) radar, an infra-red search and track (IRST) sensor, increased fuel, two additional stores pylons, a helmet-mounted sight, and other important enhancements.

The Gripen Demo aircraft (serial 39-7) isa converted JAS 39D that has been used to help de-risk the Gripen E program since 2008, testing a number of new capabilities for the project ahead of the main development contract, which is now in place. It has demonstrated the initial pre-production AESA radar, the missile approach warning system (MAWS), the new F414-GE-39E engine, SATCOMs, new displays and avionics architecture (in the back seat), increased internal fuel, new landing gear, two new stores stations, the new digital head-up display (HUD), the Selex Skyward-G IRST and now a production Selex ES-05 Raven AESA radar. During CAs visit the aircraft was being readied for video processing unit (VPU) and

new human-machine interface (HMI) trials. In addition, parts were already in production for the first two Gripen E test aircraft (39-8 and 39-9) plus the static test rig (39-083). A maiden flight with the production-standard IRST was conducted on March 31, 2014.

The new Gripen will operate at a higher all-up weight: 16.5 tonnes compared to 14 tonnes for the JAS 39C. It also carries 40 per cent more fuel and offers two additional stores pylons. The AESA radar is accommodated inside a new radome, and the nose gear now has a single wheel, which allows the Gripen E to operate from a runway with arrester gear. Other finer details include a new ammunition box with a new conveyer system, but the same gun. The Gripen E no longer ejects cannon shells, as they would hit the new shoulder stores stations.

Structurally, things have changed, too. The outer wings are now attached further out at pylon three to make for extra internal space

An artists impression of the Brazilian Gripen E. The victory in Brazil is likely to open the doors for a host of new Gripen E customers worldwide. Saab


for fuel tanks, and new aluminum-lithium integral frames are provided for the wing attachments. The main gear now retracts into the wing, rather than the fuselage. There are larger engine air intakes and, at the bottom of the fin leading edge, a new secondary environmental control system (ECS) for the powerful AESA radar. A revised wingtip design accommodates new electronic warfare antennae. Although the canopy, seat and outer elevons are taken from the Gripen C, this is a very different beast.

Saab says that it has built in a buffer of a year to accommodate unforeseen flight test issues, which looks like smart thinking. It also states that it will be able to progress from orders to actual deliveries within a year, once the project is mature. Gripen engineer Bjrn Johansson also outlined how Saab has a dynamic approach to capability progression: We are planning for quick mission-software updates. For example, we expect to be able to

deliver a software upgrade in two weeks from being given the requirement.

Gripen E the cost curveSaab aims for the Gripen E to be a step up in capability and performance, but says that it will not be a step up in cost. The companys ability to continue in fighter production has long depended on using both national and imported technology. Most of the Gripen Es systems are bought in importing technology has become increasingly relevant. Its engine is an existing product (with some modifications) from General Electric in the US, while Selex a British and Italian company provides the three main sensors.

Saab is also using smart new techniques to build the new aircraft. Head of aero operations Lars Ydreskog commented: The cost of a Gripen E is going to be lower than the cost of a Gripen C. Flexible production rates have increased efficiency in production by 30 per

cent. Our development costs are down to 60 per cent and they will get down to 50 when Gripen E development is complete. We saw a 60 per cent cost reduction in the Gripen Next Generation Demo project, with work on this being completed for 40 per cent less than our original prediction.

One could argue that the same should also have been seen in relation to other programs such as the F-16, which has continued to become more expensive even though all the requisite development work was completed years ago. Saab is proud to have broken the cost curve of fighter procurement and life-cycle cost.

Its approach is impressive, to say the least. Cost reduction is pivotal in the Gripen E project. Lars Ydreskog continued: We flew 3,400 test flights for the upgrade project that took the JAS 39A/B to the C/D. This will go down to just 1,200 for the C/D to the JAS 39E project. For the Gripen C/D we had 70,000

Serial/build number

Test role First flight date

39-7 Future development of tactical systems May 27, 200839-8 Airframe and flight controls Second half 201539-9 Tactical systems First half 2016

39-10First JAS 39E production-standard airframe and flight-test instrumentation

2017

GRIPEN E TEST AIRCRAFT

Having tested a prototype installation last year, the Gripen Demo flew with the

production Selex Skyward-G Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST) on March 31. Saab

Brazil could become involved in Sea Gripen development as this model shows,

the Brazilian Navy takes its future carrier requirements very seriously. Santiago Rivas


pages of documentation; for the Gripen E we have zero. Saab is using a clever and intuitive new 3D modeling design system for the Gripen E, which draws upon experience gained working on the joint Neuron UAV program, for example.

Gripen E capabilitiesBuying in technology for the Gripen E does not mean compromising. The agreements in place for the new fighter are yielding some impressive returns. Bob Mason, Selex-ESs marketing director for advanced sensors, gave details of the Gripen Es three primary Selex-ES sensors. These comprise the Raven ES-05 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which will be mounted on a rotating re-positioner to give it a 100 field of regard, the Skyward-G infra-red search and track (IRST) system, and a new identification friend-or-foe (IFF) system with three electronically-steerable antenna arrays that match the radars field of view.

These new sensors will work together to give the pilot a fused picture of the battlespace that can be shared via the fighter link. Mason said that the radar really shines in fire control and surveillance, and that its strength lies in its ability to find difficult targets, while operating in air-to-air and air-to-ground simultaneously.

The IRST gives the Gripen E another critical string to its bow. We feel IRST is vital, Mason continued. Indeed, it is becoming increasingly well regarded for its ability passively to detect and track stealthy targets. If you know exactly where he is, he might not be stealthy, he said. We are looking at very small delta-Ts [temperature differences between the target and the background]. Some infra-red absorbent paints cause more friction than standard paints cause more friction than standard surfaces, and that causes kinetic heating that the IRST will pick up. Of course, the sensor can also pick up heat from the engines and exhaust.

On March 31, 2014 Saab conducted the first flight of the IRST on aircraft 39-7. In the course of the sortie, reported Saabs wing commander flying, Hans Einerth, multiple targets were detected, tracked and identified and the system works perfectly as expected. A series of eight further flights was planned for April.

With night vision goggle compatibility proving somewhat problematic on some helmet-mounted sights, the IRST may also provide an answer. Selex is already working on SIRPH (Steerable IR picture on Pilots Helmet), in which an IRST picture is planned to be compatible with the HUD from the outset.

All of this new capability could reasonably be expected to cause a hike in the price of a new Gripen E, but Saab is always keen to point out that this aircraft is intended to cost less to develop, build, and operate than a JAS 39C.

Future opportunitiesLennart Sindahl says that the Gripen has attracted interest from Botswana, Peru, Indonesia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia, Finland, Belgium and Portugal. Malaysia is currently the subject of intense discussions, and Denmark is also expected to issue an RFI shortly. Sindahl expects a potential market for 300 to 450 aircraft over the next 20 years (including Brazil and Switzerland), with significant export opportunities from 2014 to 2020.

As long as we have customers for [the] Gripen C/D we will offer them, says Sindahl. Brazil also has aspirations for a new aircraft carrier, and would be unlikely to choose the Rafale or the Super Hornet since the potential for joint development of the Sea Gripen is firmly on the table (as is co-development of the two-seat Gripen F). The Brazilian decision the two-seat Gripen F). The Brazilian decision means that people are showing renewed interest in the Gripen, Sindahl adds. However, he warned: We cannot spread Gripen production over the world it would ruin

cost efficiency. So we have to focus offset in other ways they become a Gripen supplier, for example.

Boeing and Saabs recent Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for an all-new jet trainer to compete for the US Air Forces T-X T-38 Talon replacement requirement is significant. Under the agreement, formally announced on December 6, 2013, Boeing would act as prime contractor, with Saab as primary partner to cover design, development, production, support, sales and marketing. Boeing Military Aircraft President Chris Chadwick commented: Boeing and Saab form the foundation for what will be the strongest, most cost-effective industry team.

Saab has made efforts to point out that the new aircraft is, contrary to recent speculation, not a Gripen, nor even a stripped-down Gripen it is an all-new design. Boeing will be keen to exploit Saabs lean manufacturing know-how in order to develop it in an affordable and agile manner. The current economic climate in the USAF means that the aircraft will indeed need to be both affordable and able to meet the exact parameters likely to be laid out in the T-X requirement when it is formally released, probably in 2016, to meet an in-service date of 2023.

The only reason for building a clean-sheet design is that it can be specifically tailored to meet USAF requirements. It may be the only way to win.

Lennart Sindahl says: The last time Saab designed a clean-sheet aircraft was 1982. T-X will be a clean-sheet design. It will give us a good chance to design from scratch. Some people thought we would take the Gripen and make it into a trainer. We will never do that.

Like the Swedish Air Force fighter requirement, the US Air Force has very specific needs for its T-X platform. Just as specific needs for its T-X platform. Just as in Sweden, Saab will surely be well placed to ensure it can provide an aircraft to fit those needs, while doing so on a precise and exacting budget.

The Gripen Demo aircraft carrying four dummy Meteor missiles. Also evident are the new fuselage pylons either side of the centerline drop tank. Saab


96

Dispatches from the

front line of aerospace

technology

June 2014 www.combataircraft.net

by DaviD axe

On February 11, a uS navy F/a-18F Super Hornet flewfor the first time with a new infra-red sensor attached to its underbelly fuel tank.

and a year ago thismagazine identified a similar sensor, known as SpectIr, fitted to a uS air Force F-16 atred Flag (see Combat Aircraft May 2013). Combat Aircraft May 2013). Combat Aircraft

The near-simultaneous appearance of a range of new infra-red sensors on uS navyand air Force fighters is no coincidence.Its apparently all part of the Pentagons preparations for the first possible stealth air war.

The proliferation of new stealthy warplanes able to avoid radar detection compels the americans and others to find new ways todetect enemy aircraft.

Fighter heat sensors arent exactly new the russians have been using them forrussians have been using them forrdecades, and uSaF interceptors employedprimitive versions during the Cold War. butthey are becoming more important in the current era of stealthy air warfare.

radar stealth is a fairly old art by aviationstandards, dating back at least to the 1960s. engineers know they can carefully craftairframes in order to avoid presenting flat surfaces and hard angles perpendicularly to a radar. That minimizes radar bounce-back.

equally, some materials can absorb radar qually, some materials can absorb radar quallyenergy instead of returning it. apply that stuffto the outside of your aircraft and you can shave an order of magnitude from its radar signature.

but its much harder to mask a planes heat signature. Combusting jet fuel and moving quickly through the air obviously create huge amounts of heat. The Mach-3 Sr-71 spyplane admittedly an extreme example registered 800 Fahrenheit at its nose when traveling at high speeds.

Some designs try to isolate heat rather than removing it. The a-10 tank-killer, for example, keeps its engines above the fuselage and between the tail fins, crudely blocking the view of enemy missileers on the ground.

americas b-2 bomber, F-22 and F-35 fighters reportedly use their internal fuel as heat sinks in order to keep their outside skins as cool as possible. The fuel system sucks up excess heat, conveniently using it to improve efficiency.

but fuel sinks pose big design andmanagement challenges. as you burn off gasduring flight, you lose the ability to absorb heat internally and must send more of it

radiating out of your tail pipe, where it can be more easily detected.

all that is to say that even stealth warplanescan be hot especially stealth designs optimized solely for radar evasion. relativenewcomers to stealth, russia and Chinarussia and Chinarmight lag behind in infra-red suppression.

So the uS navy and air Force are addingIr sensors to many of their aircraft. The r sensors to many of their aircraft. The r navyhas begun test-flying Lockheed Martins IrST21 infra-red search and track systemon an F/a-18F. -18F. -18F adding the sensor to all 500or so Super Hornets could cost up to $500 million.

IrST is a passive long-range sensorsystem that uses infra-red search and track technology to detect airborne threats and provide weapon-quality track solutions on those targets, Lockheed Martin explained in a release.

The sensor has the added benefit of being passive that is, it doesnt emit energy, only receives it. a fighter with Ia fighter with Ia rST can spotenemy targets without giving away its own location. IrST works even when the enemy isjamming your radar with electronic noise.

and if a pilot is comfortable turning onhis radar, he can use IrST to help tell aparttwo enemy aircraft flying close together. notonly can IrST detect air threats, it providesincreased discrimination of threat formation at longer ranges, enhancing multiple-target resolution significantly compared to radar, according to Lockheed Martin.

IrST will transform the way the SuperHornet conducts air-to-air operations and

allows the fleet to dominate the skies in all threat environments, said CaPT FrankMorley, the uS navys F/a-18 manager.

The new Lockheed Martin sensor is actually an upgrade of the much older an/aaS-42 sensor fitted to the F-14DTomcat. The company offers a number of IrST attachments. On the Super Hornet,the sensor is plugged into the front tip of a modified 400-uS gallon drop tank.

In March 2013, Lockheed Martins SpectIrsensor was spotted on an F-16C belonging to the uS air Forces 64th aggressor Squadron.

F-22 and b-2 stealth aircraft attend mostred Flag exercises. The 64ths F-16s need to be able to find them not only to train the stealth crews in defensive tactics, but also to prepare uS fliers for a time when russia,russia,rChina and other countries could have stealth warplanes of their own.

Meanwhile, the air national Guard in 2011began testing the Lockheed Martin-made Sniper targeting pod on one of its F-15C fighters. The Sniper pod, normally used to spot ground targets, includes much of the same technology as the Super Hornets IrST and has some pretty good air-to-air ST and has some pretty good air-to-air ST and has some pretty good airtracking capability, according to Jon Sutter, Lockheeds Sniper manager.

The two-year Sniper test was meant to improve the Guards ability to inspect suspicious aircraft at night, but the Ir podr podrcould also work against stealth.

Ironically, the Guard having demonstrated an alternative to IrST wantsto revive efforts to fit the new Lockheed Martin sensor to F-15s, starting in 2015.

Programmatic wrangling aside, the trend is clear. More american jet fighters are gettinginfra-red sensors, and it is likely that these could help them battle the Chinese- and russian-made stealth fighters of the nearrussian-made stealth fighters of the nearrfuture.

IRST will transform the way the Super Hornet conducts air-to-air operations and allows the fleet to dominate the skies in all threat environments

Pentagons Plan to Hunt Enemy Stealth Fightersa Nellis-based F-16C aggressor in March 2013 with the iRST pod

fitted. it has not re-appeared at Red Flag exercises this year. Jamie Hunter

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