Here's the greatness of Electronic Warfare systems protect the Gripen E

Here's the greatness of Electronic Warfare systems protect the Gripen E

The first speaker in the row was Jussi Halmetoja who is currently the company Operations Advisor, Analyst, Air Domain. A Swedish fighter pilot, he logged over 2,300 flight hours, part of them as test pilot, and ended his military career at the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) as responsible for Gripen E requirements and head of air-to-air missiles programmes, he joined Saab in 2019.

“Foreseeable threats give us a very rigid set of requirement that we have to work on,” Jussi Halmetoja states in his opening remarks, considering SU-57 and SU-75, as well as hypersonic cruise missiles and long range ground-based air defence missiles as the threats the Gripen E will face in the coming years. Compared to its predecessor, the Gripen C/D, the “Echo” model looks pretty similar from the outside.

“As warfighters the most significant differences are the reinforced structure, which means we can carry 30% more internal fuel and fly at full-g and full angle-of-attack even at full load,” something quite unique in the fighters scenario according to the former Viggen and Gripen pilot.

The new engine, the GE 414 that replaces the GE 404, gives 25-30% extra thrust, which is just short of 100 kN, providing increased acceleration performances, especially at lower flight levels. On the lethality side, the increased number of hardpoints allows carrying seven long-range missiles and two short-range ones, which means four more long-range missiles compared to the Gripen E predecessor. These extra performances do not change the capability of quick turn-around in dispersed areas; the typical Swedish Air Force team being made of four conscripts and one officer; compared to the Gripen D the extra fuel and missiles increased the average turn-around time from 10 to 15 minutes,