Brazilian decision on fighters by the end of March

According to Brazilian news site Último Segundo, Brazilian Air Force Brigadier Juniti Saito states that the Brazilian government is expected to announce by the end of next month what type of fighters that will be bought by the Brazilian Air Force.

Information disseminated by the press recently states that the Air Force has a preference for the Gripen NG, which is the cheapest of the three models and offer greater participation by Brazilian industry as it is a project still under development.

(Source in Portuguese)
(Google translation)

METEOR promo vid

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Here is a promotional video for Meteor missile. Since it has only been fired from Gripen yet, such an event is shown in the video.

SELEX Galileo’s IRST to provide stealth search and track function for Gripen Next Generation

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SELEX Galileo has released a press release about IRST in Gripen.

SELEX Galileo is pleased to announce that Saab has selected the Infrared Search & Track (IRST) system SKYWARD-G to equip Saab’s Gripen Next Generation (NG) fighter.

IRST provides similar functionality to a radar without giving out electromagnetic radiation and can therefore provide full operational search and track functionality with a stealth capability. IRST can operate in highly cluttered environments to track single and multiple targets, and can also operate in slaved acquisition mode.

SKYWARD-G is a product of SELEX Galileo’s extensive experience in the field of infrared search and track airborne and naval systems and is the latest addition to the Company’s proven record in delivering innovative technology to customers.

The selection of the SKYWARD-G system follows the agreement signed in March 2009
between Saab and SELEX Galileo for the development of the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar Raven ES-05 for the Gripen Next Generation.

SELEX Galileo is a key provider of leading edge sensors for the most advanced fighters. With the Raven ES-05 and with the IRST, the Company will be guaranteeing the full mission effectiveness of the next generation aircraft Gripen NG.

(Source pdf)

Swedish fighters over Bodø

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According to Norwegian newspaper Avisa Nordland, Swedish Gripens have arrived to Bodø to participate in exercise Cold Respons.

JAS-Gripen aircraft will be in the period from Wednesday through Friday aircraft together with the Norwegian F-16 aircraft during the day as part of the run-up to the event.

(Source in Norwegian)
(Google translation)

Saab extends the time period for the Swedish Air Force's anti-ship missile

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Saab has signed a contract with FMV (the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration) regarding the introduction of life-extending measures for the Air Force's RBS15F anti-ship missile.


The contract that was signed between FMV and Saab involves the replacement of lifetime-limiting components and the implementation of extended testing in connection with the standard maintenance, which is continuously taking place at Saabs facility in Arboga.

The order is worth MSEK 77 with an option allowing the customer to extend the contract in the near future. The work is expected to take place over a 3-year period.

"The agreement makes it possible to cost-effectively maintain a missile system which, with extremely high performance, can be used by the Armed Forces for many years,” says Mats Pettersson, Head of division Logtronics within the Saab business area Support and Services.

RBS15F was put into service by the Swedish Air Force at the end of the 1980s as the main weapon for combating marine vessels. The missile was initially carried by the AJ37 Viggen but is now one of JAS39 Gripen's armaments.

(Source)

Bildt in Brazil

Swedish Foreign Minister is writing on his blog about his visit to Brazil where he among other things have discussed Gripen with the Brazilian defence minister Jobim.

In this context, I also reiterated the government's support of the Swedish JAS Gripen as one of the options now valued for the Brazilian Air Force.

(Source in Swedish)
(Google translation)

First Gripen C arrives to South Africa.

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The unofficial website on the South African Air Force reports about the first two Gripen C arriving to Cape Town. After being unloaded from the ships, the two planes were towed on the streets to the Ysterplaat Air Force Base.

Pictures and full story can be found here.

Critique against choosing french fighters

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Brazilian news site Último Segundo reports about an open letter from Ciesp (Centro das Indústrias do Estado de São Paulo). In the letter it is claimed that the Brazilian government is acting "contrary to the logic of rationality" when they prefer the French bid for F-X2.

"The French game, if chosen, will be a defeat for the Brazilian people, because we will lose the opportunity to become sovereign and independent as a nation and as a power," says the text sent by the regional Ciesp of Sao Jose dos Campos, which brings about 60% of companies in the aerospace and defense Brazilian.

(Source in Portuguese)
(Google translation)

Incidents limits flights with Gripen

According to Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter the use of Gripen in the Swedish Air Force will be limited due to two minor incidents lately. One involving the ejection handle and the other one involving the G-suite. the incidents are being investigated and normal operations will hopefully be resumed by the end of the week.

The Gripen crash outside Vidsel in Norrbotten 2007 was caused  by an error to the ejection handle.

(Source in Swedish)
(Google translation)

The SAAF, the World Cup and Gripen

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The unofficial website on South African air force has posted an article about the use of Gripen in the World cup this summer.

Gagiano says that both the missile-armed Gripen D and the missile and cannon-armed single-seat Gripen C fighter will be deployed to safeguard the soccer event. Nine Gripen D aircraft have already been delivered, with the first Gripen C expected to arrive within the next few days. At least four Gripen C fighters are likely to be in the country for the World Cup.

Read the full article here.

Cheaper Gripens to Brazil

Yesterday Folha Online reported that Brazil had choosen the French Rafale after Dassault lowered the price by $ 2 billion. Defence minister Jobim denied today that any decision was taken and now Boeing and SAAB states that they are prepared to lower their prices as well.

In the article today, director of the Swedish Saab in Brazil, Bengt Janer, says he is willing to offer a lower price for the Gripen NG

(Source in Portuguese)
(Google translation)

Air refueling with the Gripen

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During the week, the Swedish Air Force is doing an air refueling campaign with the French and Polish Air Force. The objective of the Swedish Air Force is to give basic training to pilots in air refueling and renewed training to pilots who previously completed the training.

Foto: Försvarsmakten

The campaign is carried out in LSS / TUJAS 39: auspices (Air Combat School / Tactical - and technological development). Air refueling will be done by a French KC-135 which is normally based at Istres in southern France, but for this campaign based in Poland.  From there, the tanker has a day to fly to the practice area of the Baltic Sea and up to 5 hours per day of air refueling for the Swedish JAS 39 Polish F-16. the tanker flies under the minions who is an international cooperation program in which nations will contribute with different abilities, including air refueling and transport. Sweden participates in the FEEDER with C-130 as transport aircraft.

Basic Training of the Swedish pilots is implemented at F17 which provided most of the flight of the JAS 39 during this campaign. Gripen aircrafts from F21 and FMV in Linköping participate from their home units. Air refueling enables this without a stopover in southern Sweden beeing needed.

Foto: Pernilla Bökman / Försvarsmakten

As part of the Gripen User's Group're observers from the Czech Republic, Hungary and South Africa visits F17 during the week to comply with air refueling operations on site and to share experiences.
The Swedish education consists of theory and practical experience. The practical experience comprises four flight sessions, where the first of them is in a two-seat JAS 39D with an air refueling instructor. During the subsequent sessionsair refueling is conducted with in a straight track and in turns with various loading options. During a session up to 20 connections can be carried out by one aircraft.
(Source in Swedish)
(Google translation)

SAAF unveils new IRIS-T missile

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A little over two years ago it was announced that SAAF would buy the IRIS-T air to air missile as an interim solution until development of the South African designed and built A-Darter is complete. At the SAAF parade at Swartkop airfield on Friday 29th January it was seen for the first time in public on a SAAF Gripen.

this missile is the state of the art high kill probability short range air missile with unrivalled performance capabilities which, when coupled to a helmet mounted display can engage air threats in the rear quarter of the aircraft as is the case with the SAAF Gripens

(Source)