Saab JAS 39 Gripen: Is it the Best 4th Generation Fighter in the World?

One of the most capable fighters built in Sweden is the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, with all the bells and whistle you would need for the top world-class fighter. Though it lacks stealth, parts of its engineering have allowed almost the characteristics.

Famous planes like the F-16 and other notables like the Dassault Rafale would be given a run for its money by the agile Swedish jet. It ticks the checks that modern air forces want in fighter servicing for a long time and stays competitive, not out of date.

All-in-one Delta-wing Fighter

Saab from the ground up maximized the design to keep it sharp with several qualities that would make it a value for money defense deal. A fighter jet must be fast, reliable, and easy to maintain. That is the selling point as Sweden's most advanced fighter, reported 19 Forty-Five.

Before the Gripen, the agile aircraft has features from the Draken and Viggen jets with stellar records in service with the world's air forces. They are the few delta wing-type planes and the Draken of the few with a canard wing on the front nose.

Their age has shown, and in the 1980s, more modern designs came, so Saab had to have a newer plane, and this is when the Gripen is introduced, called Griffon in Norwegian.

Swedish designers and engineers had in mind the best multi-role fighter that was a jack of all trades, striking sea or land and going toe to toe in the toughest dogfights. Other functions were eyed surveillance and monitoring, cited Air Force Technology as its extra function.

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen owes its aerial agility on the delta shapes wing and the smaller canard fin to enhance its flight skill. A very balanced airframe is key to allowing it the edge in close air-to-air combat.

It is only one of the few 4th generation fighters that have supercruise at Mach 1.1, compared to the top speed of Mach 2 when the pilot engages the afterburners. Supercruise saves fuel like the F-22 Raptor.

The F-16 and the F-15 had no supercruise by the time the Gripen came out. The function was added to 4.5 generation planes later, saving jet fuel is crucial, noted Defense View.

Gripen's excellent features

Developers were right to go for a large Delta wing that gives it a relatively short takeoff distance, just in case a runway is busted and can takeoff from more places in the field. The flexibility of operations is important, even if units are forced to operate independently.

Target designation and tracking with modern sensors finding the aerial target. A combo of powerful radar and an infra-red search and track sensor could detect less visible objects on radar.

Equipped with a digital cockpit monitor with several modes available for the pilot to choose from. Show a high-resolution picture of its surrounding.

The JAS 39 in 2006 had aerial combat drills that took out several F-15, F-16, and Typhoons proving its design is better, so much that several nations have it in their air forces using it. Though the Saab JAS 39 Gripen is no F-35 which is a setback, it will stand out if it is faced with 4th gen fighters. Stealth is not everything.