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September 21, 2007 at 11:05 pm in reply to: status of Gripen's NORA radar. #2510966

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It should be noted however that those ^^ are the original plans lined up with the Swedish armed forces and Gripen Intl plan to offer AESA on export Gripens from around 2010.

Raytheon has taken their own initiative to promote their RANGR AESA for Gripen and Saab is currently looking at a new partner. Could be Thales, Selex, Raytheon. We’ll see.

Raytheon at the Paris air show were quite busy lobbying potentional Gripen customers to select the RANGR as a radar requirement.

The Raytheon Next Generation Radar (RANGR) is a repackaging of the dual-mode APG-79 on the Super Hornet.

http://www.raytheon.com/products/stellent/groups/public/documents/content/cms04_018786.pdf

September 17, 2007 at 1:20 pm in reply to: Polish f16 spares shortage #2512442

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RBS15 Mk3’s from Sweden to Poland ordered last year.

Look, Poland got a great deal for the F-16s. The LM offsets were much higher than the competition and they got a US state credit for the entire sum. That will not only help Polish economy but the EU economy as a whole. They also get some decent jets.

So gents, give it a rest.

The offset became 170% (of program value) and the largest in commercial history. Mac Stevenson, Vice President for Business Development at Lockheed Martin, stated, “We have offered more percentage-of-offset
to Poland than we’ve ever offered anywhere else in the world.” url

September 12, 2007 at 8:46 am in reply to: F-5EM (BR) with CFT #2513239

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By the way: an F-5 can carry 4 Sidewinders and 3 external tanks. In this configuration it has more than plenty of range (more than some much heavier and modern double-digit superfigthers). In a different configuration with the wet wing points busy with bombs this conformal external tanks seem of use, but here I think the performance impact is too much.

From Wiki:
Empty weight: 4350kg
OEW (guessed): 4700kg
Int Fuel: 2560l = 2100kg
Ext Fuel: 3x1040l = 2560kg
4x Sidewinder: 360kg
TOW: 9720kg
MTOW: 11190kg

At above configuration of less than 10 tons of weight more than 40% is fuel. You don’t look much better with an F-16. The fuel factor of an F-5E (without ext fuel and just armed with 4 AIM-9) is better than that of an F-14.

With weak engines that burn alot of fuel.

J85-21 (5000lbf wet) Specific Fuel Consumption at Maximum Power 2.13 lb/(lbf·h)

x 2

4,26 lb burnrate as oppose to say a single F404/RM12 at 1.78 lb.

http://www.geae.com/engines/military/comparison_turbojet.html
http://www.geae.com/engines/military/comparison_turbofan.html

I’m also puzzled as to why you mention modern jets and then compare to a F-14.

Finally I also wonder what a F-5EM with 3 drop tanks is supposed to do? air combat? With 4500 kg thrust on a 9720kg TOW.. what’s the G-limit.. +3? 🙂 well good luck.

September 7, 2007 at 1:55 am in reply to: Viggen- Collings Foundation #2514895

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This wasnt getting much response over in the Historic Section so I’ll repost it here.

I just read in the Swedish Avation mag “Flygrevyn” that the last operational Viggen SK 37E (ECM version) 37813 will be delivered to the Collings Foundation for preservation. What are their plans for this aircraft? They have quite the record for this complicated of aircraft as they have a TA-4 and an F-4 that fly quite regularly. Are they going to fly the Viggen?

Also any plans for the Swedish Air Force/SAAB to keep one around for air displays like they did with the Tunnan, Lansen and Draken?

Might not be getting much replies because most ppl don’t know… 37809 flew at Saab 70th anniversary as planned last week and then for some reason down to F7 Såtenäs airbase. What will happen there I don’t know…

And what will happen to the 37813 at Collins.. don’t know :p

August 29, 2007 at 4:24 pm in reply to: An undisclosed air force bought Israeli AESA radar – RSAF? #2516833

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Hm . . . what’s Ukraines radar industry like? Might they consider importing a new radar for their MiG-29s?

Ukraine is definiatly modernizing their MIG-29’s.. I know they had talks with Israeli industry but a national venture with Russia’s Phazotron also compete for the contract.. Oh well..

August 29, 2007 at 11:54 am in reply to: An undisclosed air force bought Israeli AESA radar – RSAF? #2516890

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If there’s a small nation with a small fleet being upgraded then $95 million is not a small sum… what’s the unit cost.. let’s guess? 1 million, 2 ?

I also don’t believe it can be fitted to F-16 or F-15 jets except the Israeli’s own inventory. For political and industrial reasons.

So I would look at MIG-21 upgrades, suspended Israeli upgrade programs exists in Ethiopia and Zambia for instance.

August 18, 2007 at 9:25 pm in reply to: What are the Tornados doing? #2518542

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Tonka’s are doing Iraq from Qatar, They are not in Afganistan for the same reason the Jaguars didn’t deploy there. Too hot and too high.

But German recce Tornados seem to work ok.

http://english.people.com.cn/200704/06/eng20070406_364295.html

Btw when will Typhoons do some CAS exercises ?

July 26, 2007 at 1:32 pm in reply to: for those who still believe that the f 35 will be a slow, non-maneuvrable plane… #2525497

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slow, non-maneuvrable

😀

Actually that Lockheed marketing article doesn’t such much. Any jet producer in the world use the same rethoric (‘much better than the old stuff’.. ‘exceeding expectations’.. and so on)

It will without a doubt be the slowest less maneuverable new generation jet on the market. But then again, the only people who claim otherwise is F-35 fanatics on the web.

June 25, 2007 at 6:17 pm in reply to: European fifth generation fighter? #2540372

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European Technology Acquisition Programme.

Established 2001, supported by the EU and the individual government of France, Germany, UK, Spain, Sweden and Italy.

Lessons learned from Technology Demonstrator Projects such as the nEUROn project is drawn into studies conducted by the ETAP.

The studies will form the basis for future combat air system capabilities in the 2020+ frame. What’s most important is to develop and demonstrate new technology and here Europe is up at the forefront with the USA unlike the rest of the world.

June 17, 2007 at 7:08 pm in reply to: IAF News & Discussion Feb-Mar 07 #2545604

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I’m not gonna bother getting into the politics and some of the BS that’s floating around.

But here’s the basic Gripen NG info. For reference.

Basic data Gripen NG (Preliminary)
• Length excl. pitot tube 14.1 m
• Wing span incl. launchers 8.4 m
• Number of Stations 10
• Empty weight 7100 Kg
• Internal Fuel 3130 Kg
• Engine Thrust 22,000-26,000 lbs
• Max Take-off weight 16,000 Kg
• Payload 6000 Kg

Gripen NG

• Increased Range
– More Internal Fuel, New Landing Gear
• Increased Payload
– Centerline pylon is complemented by two pylons for heavy stores
– New main landing gear (Increased take-off and landing masses)
• Increased Thrust
– New Engine
• AESA (Active Electronic Scanning Array) radar
• Communications
– Advanced data communication with FAC and other ground units
– Satellite comms
• Electronic Warfare
– Enhanced MAW
• JSM (NSM), SDB…
• Gripen D cockpit with some enhancements
• …
• Avionics Structure Rig Demo
– New computers
– Advanced internal communications
– Ability to use non-certifiable software

My notes:
—————————————————–
Fuel capability Gripen NG: Empty 7100Kg
internal fuel (3130 Kg)
= 10,230Kg
one centreline tank (964 Kg) Total fuel: 4094 Kg
= 11,194 Kg
two centreline tanks (1928 Kg) Total fuel: 5058 Kg
= 12,158 Kg
full external fuel load (3856 Kg) Total fuel: 6986 Kg
= 14,086 Kg

+ Total ownership of weapons integration.
+ Can address commonality issues w/Israeli avionics.
+ Entire production line in India.
+ Co-developed, Indian version for the export market.
—————————————————–

June 13, 2007 at 5:16 pm in reply to: Canopy Question #2506587

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As for Gripen one of the key design philosophies was easy maintenance and access to components. This is possible with the side-opening more so than on a clamshell. On this pic you can also see the canopy itself can be opened with little support structures, basically a main actuator. A bonus is also that a flight engineer can check the chair, tubings etc or discuss personally with the pilot just before the flight from a unobstructed pov. I suppose this is valid points for the other jets aswell.

June 9, 2007 at 4:43 am in reply to: Su-30MKM antenna depiction images #2508678

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Eh, those are boxes to house the installation of MAW-300 sensors. Normally they would be installed around the airframe but this is more easy, cheaper, uglier.

Pdf http://products.saabgroup.com/PDBWebNew/GetFile.aspx?PathType=ProductFiles&FileType=Files&Id=5083

Any more pics of the jets?

June 1, 2007 at 4:23 pm in reply to: Rafale news #2519913

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Very nice photos indeed! I hope it got stuck on google earth too 🙂

May 31, 2007 at 5:15 pm in reply to: Rafale news #2520345

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Interceptions were conducted, but I don’t know wether it was against Rafale, or in team, against the Mirage F1CR…
I think that they practised the BVR against each other, but i’m not sure, as i actually don’t have the magazine.

Ok.. I found out some info from here, they say they met Rafale first (informal) for “study visit” and a photo from that show no EW/jammer installed, but then they went to fly with F1CR and plugged in EWS39 on 2 of the Gripen’s. The Mirage F1CR flew 4 jets per event. They appreciated the simulated SAM area “Polygon”. They also said France was VERY hospitable and had a good time… oh and they observed NATO aerial refueling tactics. (Sweden will soon sign an agreement to use NATO’s tanker resources.)

France is due to visit Sweden very soon with combat jets. But I don’t know if it’s the same F1CR’s that visited last summer or Rafale this time.

May 31, 2007 at 3:09 pm in reply to: Rafale news #2520433

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Some updates :
-the gun should be qualified now (end of May), with air2air and air2ground modes;
-GBU-22 first firing at the begining of June, should be qualified for this summer;
-AASM to be operational on late 2007/early 2008.
-new software for Spectra, by June, to be delivered by the end of the year.
-Rear sector Mica firing (with Link 16 datalink)
-standard F3 for mid-2008
-OSF-NG for the begining of 2009 (it won’t wait 2012 it seems)

Also : during some training between Gripen and Mirage F1CR at Reims, the Gripen have faced Rafales from St Dizier.
Gripen pilots seem to have had a hard time against the Rafale because of the Mica IR (they didn’t know what the Rafale is able to do), but also because of the high excess power of the aircraft, even heavily loaded (the Rafale is definitely better at FL30-35, whereas the Gripen is used to 60ft-10,000ft).
Gripen pilots also praised the Rafale’s sensor fusion.

Thanks for the update!

Mica always impressed me, it was considered for SwAF Gripen’s and I believe they verified a possibility to integrate it without significant modifications.

It sounds fair to say the Rafale’s would have an edge under the mentioned circumstances. Just a few remarks; the Gripen’s did not have their EWS39 (similar to spectra) installed during the visit and BVR was not mentioned? This is usually where Gripen shine during exercises with its strong radar and autonomous datalink.
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