JOHAN SEGERTOFT, HEAD OF THE GRIPEN E PROGRAM at the Swedish aerospace company Saab, speaks about the new E version in terms that might seem more suited to computers than to military hardware: He talks about software upgrades and data layers, coding and multicore processors. “Our job is to let the pilot make decisions faster than the other pilot,” Segertoft says, and, over the years, Gripen pilots have out-maneuvered a few other hotshot fighters in international exercises. The JAS 39E Gripen, which first flew last December, is the latest version of a Mach 2 fighter that rolled out in 1987. To an untrained eye, the Gripen E does not look greatly different from its predecessors which flew 50 years ago. The Brazilian air force Delta-winged, conical-nosed jet fighters that fly at twice demonstrated its fi rst Saab the speed of sound and carry a few tons of bombs and mis- Gripen E last October. By providing high-end capabilities siles under their wings were around in the Vietnam War. at a fraction of the cost of But an aircraft’s effectiveness is no longer determined other fi ghters, the Gripen has mainly by how fast it can fly or how quickly it can turn. been an export success for Now it’s about how well it can interpret information Saab. Brazil ordered 36.

40 AIR & SPACE airspacemag.com SMART FIGHTER

In an era when software upgrades are critical, the Gripen strives to be the iPhone of aircraft. ■ BY TOM CHIVERS LINUS SVENSSON/SAAB

February/March 2021 AIR & SPACE 41 from many different sources and present the data to aircraft in order to protect our country and make Three Swedish pilots in ways they can instantly understand and act sure the rest of the armed forces can mobilize.” Armed Forces Gripen fi ghters upon. And while the technology of how to make an Its single focus has given the manufacturer Saab participate in a long- airplane powerful, streamlined, and maneuverable a proclivity for making strange-looking airplanes. range, long-duration is fairly mature, computer technology continues Its first aircraft entered service with the Swedish Bomber Task Force to improve exponentially. So an aircraft’s effec- air force in 1941—a relatively conventional dive- mission over tiveness in battle is determined, in part, by how bomber, the Saab 17. But after that, Saab produced on May 20, 2020. The fi ghter’s small quickly its electronics can be upgraded. And since a sequence of quirky aircraft. There was a small radar cross-section the middle of the last century, Sweden has been twin-boom, pusher-propeller fighter, the Saab 21, gives it an advantage pursuing effectiveness for one very specific battle. which was upgraded to jet engines after the war, in dogfi ghts, and looked rather like the . allowing it to fi re Sweden is a non-aligned country, but although Then in 1955 came the Draken—a big, high-speed, missiles at close range. it has never joined NATO, it has been clear since high-altitude interceptor. Next, in 1967, Sweden the cold war who its likely adversary would be. unveiled the Viggen, a strike fighter designed for “Being neutral, just next to this huge country, short take-off and landing, reflecting Sweden’s Russia, meant that we have been very focused expectations that its air bases would rapidly be on defensive counter-air,” says Colonel Torgny targeted in any war with the USSR. Fälthammar, a former Gripen pilot and head of These aircraft were both striking and unusual— the ’s Gripen program. Sweden the Draken with distinctive wide, double-delta must be “able to intercept and take down attacking wings; the Viggen, with canard foreplanes. And both aircraft were groundbreaking in a variety of ways. “What was really cool,” says Richard Smith, Technology transfer Saab’s deputy head of marketing on the Gripen came with Brazil’s project, “was that [the Draken] had the first data purchase of the link.” Ground radar stations transmitted tiny Gripen. Brazilian packets of data via radio to the Draken: the pilot engineer Marcelo Tonial trained in would be sent tactical information, such as the Sweden to maintain speed and altitude of the target, or the direction the avionics units on to it, given as a point on the radar scope. The idea Gripen fi ghters. He was that, in a war with Russia, unsecured voice is being assisted by radio could be easily intercepted or jammed, while Pernilla Löfgren to learn how to use digitally transmitted information was more secure. equipment that will The Viggen, meanwhile, was the first production automatically test fighter with a head-up display. It also expanded the avionics units.

You can tell a SmartFighter by its cockpit: A Gripen JAS 39E demo model shows the Wide Area Display that dominates the pilot’s view. It’s a panoramic, high-resolution touchscreen that serves as the main source of fl ight information, which is provided by multiple sensor inputs. AVPICS/ALAMY

42 AIR & SPACE airspacemag.com upon Draken’s data links to include data-sharing in 1982,” he says. “And it was risky, because in 1982 between aircraft as well as from ground stations. the computer technology meeting the require- Also, “it was one of the first aircraft to have a central ments regarding performance and miniaturization computer,” says Smith—although it was so long did not yet exist.” This stripped-back design also ago that it was known as a “central calculator.” helped keep costs down. “An engine is around $10 Then, in the 1980s, came the Gripen. million, say, so [by using just one] you’ve imme- From the beginning, the Gripen was designed diately reduced the price by a sensible amount,” with its electronics in mind. A relatively small says John Sneller, head of aviation at the defense aircraft, it is single-engined and weighs about six analysis company Janes. A further advantage is that Saab is able to avoid “ WHEN YOU GO DOWN INTO THE many of the political considerations that tied up the Eurofighter project. That meant it could buy COCKPIT, IT’S HIGH-TECH, IT’S off-the-shelf parts—for instance, it uses a General SLEEK, IT’S LIKE SITTING DOWN IN Electric F404 engine, built under license by Volvo. A MODERN SPORTS CAR.” Using premade parts of known reliability reduces — TORGNY FÄLTHAMMAR, HEAD OF THE GRIPEN PROGRAM risk and cost. “It’s adding risk on risk if you’re building a new aeroplane and a new engine at the same time,” says Sneller. “You saw it with the F-35, A400M, Tornado, and Typhoon. Trying to do everything to the top level of tech at the same time is a high-risk approach.” But in international collaborations, it can be hard to avoid. tons empty. Its similar-looking but twin-engine A defense industry worker and former Royal Air contemporaries, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Force fighter pilot who asked to remain anonymous French Dassault Rafale, come in at 11 and 10 tons describes the pressures that influence international respectively. It was built so small, says Fälthammar, projects. “If you look at Typhoon,” he says, “four because its designers expected computers to get countries each make a bit of the radar; the engines

COURTESY SWEDISH ARMED FORCES COURTESY small enough to fit in it. “That decision was made are made by Eurojet.” Politics are involved: “ ‘I

February/March 2021 AIR & SPACE 43 need jobs for Lancashire, I need jobs for central can work out it’s a Russian engine in a MiG-29.” Italy’—Saab can be a lot leaner and more agile and He continues: “An F-35 is flying around look- [they] don’t have to try to keep everyone happy.” ing for things. It’ll have flight plans for airliners. [The pilot will] get a blip. It will say that’s in an airway. There’s a 92-percent chance it’s an airliner. IT IS ALSO A FORMIDABLE AIRCRAFT IN Whereas if it’s a small blip, I might want to spend MORE TRADITIONAL RESPECTS...CAPABLE a lot more effort finding out if it’s something I OF CRUISING AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS should be interested in.” WITHOUT AFTERBURNER EVEN WHEN Modern electronic warfare measures rely heav- ily on computer power. “One thing that sets the CARRYING EXTERNAL WEAPONRY. Gripen apart from its direct competitors is the degree to which the entire aircraft and systems were designed around the electronic warfare suite,” says Justin Bronk, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute specializing in combat airpower and technology. That includes both electronic countermeasures (ECM) and The Gripen E project began in 2010 and—even counter-countermeasures. If an enemy radar is more than the earlier versions—was built around using a certain frequency, your ECM can blast that Personnel at the its electronics suite. “Gripen E has some of the frequency at it, so that it is deafened with noise; Kecskemet Air Base coolest sensors available, but to use them in the but it can deploy counter-countermeasures, such in Hungary created best way you need computer power to fuse all that as switching frequencies, so your ECM needs to this display of a information and provide it to the pilot in such a be clever at identifying those frequency switches Gripen and its components, way that he can complete his task,” says Segertoft. and keeping up. apparently believing Processing power has other uses: Modern fighters And each year, as the state of the art improves, that maintenance can identify other aircraft by the particular radar the complexity of these systems explodes. “In personnel are as signatures of the fan blades of their engines. “It embedded systems like cars, satellites, aircraft,” much a part of an aircraft’s success as started with the F-15,” says the former RAF pilot. says Segertoft, “if you needed 100,000 lines of code its engine or “The radar blip has fuzzy lines from the engine mod- a few years ago to solve a problem, it’s a million combat hardware. ulation. If you have enough computing power, you now, and it’ll be 10 million in a few years.” “TOPIDOC” TOPERCZER/SAAB ISVAN

44 AIR & SPACE airspacemag.com A Gripen D pilot Software upgrades are traditionally carried out cally separated, but logically separated—as with captures a selfi e cautiously. It’s one thing if you install a new version the iPhone, the software “apps” can be removed, with a Gripen E in of Excel and your computer freezes in the middle replaced, or upgraded without affecting the oth- the background. The newer iteration can of an important piece of work; it’s another if your ers. “I heard colleagues in the industry trying carry more weapons $100 million fighter does, especially if it happens something similar, and they gave up because they and fuel, and has a just when you need it to help you avoid an incom- deemed it impossible.” It was “naive and brave” to longer range. ing missile. But Saab has a different philosophy. try to build it, he says—“it’s something inherently “We needed to think differently because [each Swedish—naive enough because we don’t know software or hardware] upgrade was taking too what it means but brave enough to try anyway. long to get out,” says Segertoft. The idea behind “The initial efforts are almost impossible, the Gripen E was to make that process smoother. but when you’ve done it you’ve done it,” adds Segertoft’s favorite analogy is the iPhone. When Segertoft. For example: when the Gripen E was you upgrade to a newer version—with more pro- first designed, there were no “multicore proces- cessing power and a better camera—and then you sor” computers—that is, computers which had boot it up, he asks, “Will you as a user notice? No, two or more processors acting in parallel, and because the software is still working.” You can plug which could carry out many more operations per and play new software, secure in the knowledge that second than single-processor machines. But the it will work on the hardware, and you can install E’s modular design—the fact that, like an iPhone, new hardware, knowing it is compatible with the its hardware could be upgraded while leaving the software. Gripen E, he says, is the same: You can software in situ—meant that multicore processors put in new hardware, and it’ll run the same soft- could be added without fuss. Says Segertoft: “We ware; you can switch software modules, and they’ll added them, and it wasn’t a big deal, because we cooperate with each other and with the hardware. had the platform.” The question is how can you—absent the years Bronk says that the EW suite in particular seems of trial and error for each specific upgrade—test to be exceptional—outsiders don’t know, exactly, the whole system and be sure that it is robust in because these things are secret, but “on the rare this general way. “That’s the meat in the pie,” occasions where Gripens [C variants] have turned agrees Segertoft. “How do you verify, to aviation up in something like war mode, the Typhoon standards, that it is robust to an infinite amount pilots go ‘Wow, that seems really impressive.’ ” of configurations? Add a new software, remove it, It is also a formidable aircraft in more traditional modify it?” It requires building from the ground respects—agile, fast, capable of cruising at super-

SAAB up, he says; all the components are, not physi- sonic speeds without afterburner even when carry-

February/March 2021 AIR & SPACE 45 ing external weaponry and fuel tanks. Because of its Liberation Army Air Force report about a 2015 small size, it has a smaller radar cross-section. “You engagement exercise between PLAAF J-11s, the have to get closer or put out more energy in your Chinese version of the Su-27 Flanker, and Thai own radar to detect a Gripen,” says Fälthammar. Gripen Cs found that the J-11s won comfortably That means that the Gripen can get closer before in dogfights—their greater thrust-to-weight ratio launching its own missiles, giving it “a few more allowed them to turn faster and get shots off with kilometres of effective range.” The former RAF infrared missiles and cannon. They shot down 16 pilot adds that being small also makes it harder Gripens with no losses. But in beyond-visual-range to spot visually, and being maneuverable gives it engagements, the Gripens were deadly: They shot a few extra seconds in which to turn and outrun down 41 Flankers against nine losses. incoming missiles. The Gripen has its weaknesses. Because of its small size, it pays a higher cost—in range and speed— “ IN EMBEDDED SYSTEMS LIKE CARS, than one of its larger rivals for a similar amount of SATELLITES, AIRCRAFT, IF YOU NEEDED ordnance hung from its hardpoints. For all that the 100,000 LINES OF CODE A FEW YEARS AGO fighters are designed to catch and intercept Tupolev TO SOLVE A PROBLEM, IT’S A MILLION NOW, Bears over the Baltic Sea, they can’t actually keep AND IT’LL BE 10 MILLION IN A FEW YEARS.” up with them for very long. The Bear can just keep on flying, for hours and hours, and a Gripen will — JOHAN SEGERTOFT, HEAD OF THE GRIPEN E PROGRAM AT SAAB quickly run out of fuel. One engine saves on cost, but means less redundancy and less spare power for other systems, such as radar. But Gripens have performed well in interna- Smoke on, a tional operations, such as Red Flag. Said Swedish Gripen exhibits General Lennart Pettersson in 2004: “Although high-speed some aircraft flown in these exercises may have The Gripen has been an export success because maneuvers in 2012. The latest had a slightly better thrust-to-weight ratio than it is extremely cost-effective for countries who version has new our aircraft, Gripens still managed to get behind want roughly what Sweden wants from its fighter software and the F-16s to make use of both their IR-missiles aircraft. “In incredibly blasé terms, Gripen gives processors—with and guns. The small visual signature and excellent you about 85 percent or 90 percent of the high- the same high- agility of the Gripen proved to be a considerable est level abilities, at about 50 percent of the cost,” angle-of-attack handling Gripens advantage in a dogfight.” says Bronk. “If you’re an air force that wants to were born with.

Perhaps more tellingly, a Chinese People’s generate a reasonable number of sorties from AIRMAN ERIN BABIS USAF/SENIOR

46 AIR & SPACE airspacemag.com Though not a NATO a limited budget, and your main concern is air ordered 36. There are hopes that and member, Sweden defence and policing, then it’s frankly an obvious Canada may be future customers. has friends in the choice.” The Gripen C has found customers in So far, says Fälthammar, the E has not flown club. In June 2016, four Gripens joined Czechia, Hungary, Thailand, South Africa, as well much against other aircraft since it is still under Polish and U.S. as Sweden. Britain’s Empire Test Pilots’ School development. But he waxes lyrical about how the F-16s and German has had a Gripen D for training pilots since 1999, aircraft is to fly: “It’s such a lovely experience. When Typhoons to follow a because, says Fälthammar, the simple, responsive you go down into the cockpit, it’s high-tech, it’s U.S. Air Force B-52 control system is highly regarded. sleek, it’s like sitting down in a modern sports car.” bomber over the Baltic Sea. Sweden’s neutrality has also been an advantage Except, unlike most new cars, the upgradable for some export deals. If you are a non-aligned design means that countries won’t have to trade country yourself—say, Brazil—and you buy the a Gripen in for a new model every few years—a F-35, you are making a geopolitical statement deal that’s tough to beat. about where your allegiances lie. “Brazil doesn’t want to be too close to the U.S., or the Russians, or the Chinese,” says Sneller. “[Gripen] is therefore attractive to non-aligned countries, like and Finland.” Previous Saab aircraft have not sold especially well overseas because their individuality counted against them. “If you look at the Viggen, its cock- At Ellsworth Air pit had a totally different setup,” says Bronk. “If Force Base in South you were used to any other NATO aircraft, [it] Dakota, Swedish would be completely baffling. You’d have to com- pilots approach a Gripen one of them pletely revamp your training.” Gripen, though, will fl y to escort a is much more manageable for pilots of other B-1 bomber. modern aircraft and has sold well. The Gripen C Gripens have shown is expected to remain in service until the 2030s, they can hold their own against F-16s in says Fälthammar—“it’s robust, it’s a very mature international and good fighter aircraft”—but Sweden is taking operations. delivery of the first 60 Es now, and Brazil has TOP: COURTESY SWEDISH ARMED FORCES; BOTTOM: OLEG V. BELYAKOV/AIRTEAMIMAGES OLEG V. BOTTOM: SWEDISH ARMED FORCES; COURTESY TOP:

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