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SAAB JAS 39 GRIPEN: IN-SERVICE REPORT

On the ground the Gripen (which is Swedish for "griffin") looks small and almost delicate compared with many other fighters. But in the air Saab's light weight aircraft has little to fear from an adversary. Like the Eurofighter and Rafale, this indigenous Swedish development belongs to the new fourth generation of fighter aircraft. Fly-by-wire controls, modern radar and a glass cockpit feature just as prominently in the JAS 39, the only difference being that they are packed into an aircraft that is over 30% lighter.

This, like many other interesting details, is evidence of the special philosophy of the Swedes, for whom cost was a major consideration right from the start of development in the early 1980s. Despite all the engineers' hard work, there were times when the programme looked distinctly shaky. The first prototype crashed almost at once in 1989 and there was another spectacular accident in Stockholm in 1993. This drove up the costs and resulted in considerable delays.

But since F7 Wing's second squadron was declared operational on the Gripen in November 1997, the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) has had every reason to feel pleased. According to Air Commodore Staffan Näsström, head of Logistics Command, the distances required for take-off and landing are, respectively, 28% and 17% better than was stipulated in the specification. Range during an attack mission is 47% greater, as is loiter time during combat air patrol. Rate of turn is also 5% better than was specified. The PS-05/A radar is proving equally impressive, with a range 15 to 40% above specification.

Another major advantage the Gripen has over its predecessor, the Viggen, are its operating costs. "Fuel consumption is down by half, and expenditure on routine maintenance is 40% lower," says Group Captain Jan Andersson, commander of F7 Wing.

Based in Satenäs, around 350 km to the south-west of Stockholm, F7 may be classed as an operational unit but for the moment it is primarily occupied with pilot conversion training to the new model. An ultra-modern training centre was built for this purpose; its facilities include a twin-dome simulator and four multi-mission simulators. These are playing an important role, as the two-seater Gripens will not be used for conversion training, so that pilots' first experience of the real aircraft will be flying solo in the JAS 39A.

Experienced fighter pilots moving to the Gripen from the Draken or Viggen are not expected to have much difficulty and require only a six month conversion course. Candidates fresh from basic flying training will spend a year in Satenäs, during which time they will clock up 40 hours in the simulator and 62 hours in the air.

The training programme is broad and varied as the JAS 39 is to be used for three mission types: Fighter (Jakt), Attack (Attack) and Reconnaissance (Spanings). Hence the new catchword of "swing-role": the pilot can switch between individual mission types actually during the flight.

Wing Commander Anders Silwer from the tactical training unit describes a training mission which contained all three elements: "The first task for one four-ship formation was a low-level attack on an airfield with DWS-39 dispensers. After that one of the aircraft acted as reconnaissance aircraft watching shipping traffic in the Baltic Sea. The information was then datalinked to the rest of the team, who were able to deploy RBS 15 anti-ship guided missiles without using their own radars. This was followed by an air battle against Saab 105, during which both AIM-120 AMRAAMs and also Sidewinders were used (simulated of course)."

To enable the pilot to concentrate on his combat tasks, the Gripen designers attached great importance to optimising the man-machine interface. This is seen not only in the cockpit but already at the flight planning stage. Foreign pilots who have been allowed to fly the JAS 39 generally gaze with envy at the computer equipment. Thanks to the detailed digital maps, satellite images and comprehensive databases, this takes a lot of the hard slog out of mission planning.

The g-suit is also one of the best around, comprising not only complete protection for the legs but extending also to an inflatable jacket. Combined with pressure breathing, it is intended to increase significantly pilots' tolerance against the rapid onset of acceleration forces.

Many pilots find the Gripen cockpit cramped at first, but once you are sitting on the slightly inclined Martin-Baker Mk. 10S ejection seat, it is actually extremely comfortable. As is customary these days, the control panel is dominated by screens (in the JAS 39A/B for the time being there are still three that are green-and-black), while a wide-angle head-up display is directly ahead.

The control stick is in the centre, but, like a sidestick, it can only be moved a few degrees in each direction. The control stick and throttle lever incorporate the most important buttons and switches. while the throttle handle also has a joystick which controls the movement of the cursor on all the screens and the HUD.

The start-up procedure is extremely simple as most of it is automatic and the systems only display a small amount of information after self-test. Calibration of the inertial navigation system takes the longest. But after three minutes the aircraft is ready to roll. During taxiing the JAS 39 is very manoeuvrable.

The Gripen is normally held for take-off on its powerful carbon brakes while the RM12 engine is run up to full dry thrust. Then the brakes are released, the throttle lever is pushed forward past its detent to full afterburner and lift-off occurs at around 240 km/h. Unless the aircraft is carrying external stores, a 600 m run is sufficient to get airborne.

The rate of climate is really impressive, as the Gripen is expected to climb to 10,000 m in under two minutes. Most pilots are also very taken with the aircraft's handling characteristics. The JAS 39 can be controlled very precisely, without any tendency to over-react or respond awkwardly to small control deflections. Another positive feature is its good turn performance, around 20* per second, during which loss of speed is noticeably less than in older models with delta wings.

The mature fly-by-wire system permits roll rates of 250* per second. It also accepts brutal control inputs or abrupt load reversals quite happily and keeps the aircraft in trim at all times.

As well as its flying characteristics, the Swedes are especially happy to demonstrate the Gripen's datalinking capabilities. In this area they are way ahead of many air forces. Extensive data transmissions are received from the ground, from an airborne early warning aircraft or from other aircraft in the pilot's own formation, and this information is integrated into his tactical display. Even when he is operating in radio silence to avoid detection, an up-to-date view is available at all times of the position of friendly and hostile forces, weapon ranges and even his wingman's remaining fuel.

This "information superiority" brings considerable advantages in the view of the Flygvapnet. Above all it makes it easier to assess the situation for all those involved and enables far-reaching decisions to be taken at the lowest level of the command chain.

Another special feature of Swedish Air Force combat operations is their use of road bases. The approach is then performed at 235 km/h, with an angle of attack of around 14*. The pilot can activate the brakes even before touchdown, although they do not take effect until the front wheels are on the asphalt. When these are combined with the air-braking effect of canards and flaps, the aircraft can come to a halt in a very short distance.

In an emergency, only a 10 minute turnaround is required between missions, as long as only a small amount of ammunition has to be loaded for fighter missions. The aircraft is prepared for take-off by a technician and five conscripts. The rapid turnaround is possible thanks to simple operation and comprehensive self-testing.

All in all, the JAS 39 is a living proof of what a fourth generation fighter jet is capable of. Saab has succeeded in developing a compact package with many really well thought out details.

Depending on funding availability, a number of improvements may be integrated into the Gripen over the next few years and decades. Bigger colour screens and faster computers, for example, are already planned for the third production batch (to be delivered commencing in 2003). In the longer term the possibilities include a radar with electronic beam scanning, an internal FLIR or an engine with thrust-vectoring nozzle. The Griffin is thus only at the start of its career. KARL SCHWARZ

From page 6 of FLUG REVUE 7/2000