Military Air Forces Should Choose the SAAB's Gripen NG over the USA's F-35A

The Gripen NG fighter jet is an excellent fighting aircraft which can keep up with the worlds best, costing nearly half the price of the F-35. When comparing to other fighter jets available on the market, it can out-compete the Euro-fighter for instance in a number of key areas. The Euro-fighter and the Gripen NG may have each downsides, the Gripen's lower price tag is not backed up with lesser performance. Gripen NG is $40 million cheaper than the Euro-fighter, a Gripen has a better range, higher speed, less weight and lower operating costs. Currently the Euro-fighter can provide larger range of variant type to suit different operating roles, but the Gripen can carry all relevant NATO spec weapons, so countries are not lumbered with new weapon cost or retrofits.

The overall cost of a fleet of 150 NG Gripen for more than 40 years is approximately $22 billion. Gripen NG is 48% cheaper than the USA and UK are purchasing of the cost of a fleet of 65 F-35As. It is effectively a country could purchase a great deal more fighters and still save money over the F-35. Ultimately the Gripen NG is an extreme good package for the money compared to what else is available unless the country requires some unique and staggeringly expensive stealth technology.

Gripen NG includes some unique tricks in order to maintain an advantage and keep the ability of the jet high, without compromising the intended low price point. AESA (active-electronically scanned array) radars have changed aerial combat, offering huge improvements in range, resolution, fast scanning capabilities, stealth and reliability for radar system. Saab has used a clever spinning 'repositioner' in the nose of the jet which allows the field of view angle to be increased significantly.

This allows the Gripen NG the ability to take shot from beyond visual range and then turn 90 degrees in avoidance tactics, while improving mid-course updates for the missiles fired and keeping situational awareness high in mid combat. With new missiles that have extreme ranges, like MBDA’s Meteor, a Gripen NG could fire at enemy fighters at extreme range and then effectively hide from enemy radar and infrared tracking systems used on other types of fighters, while still guiding its missiles. This development, though relatively minor in cost, provides a major benefit to the new series of Gripen and is one of the ways that the Gripen can maintain relevancy when compared with its peers.

Saab's Gripen NG target market is the western friendly nations that cannot afford more expensive machinery which have small demand for fighter jets and update slowly and in limited orders. Also coupled with the tedious, expensive and fraught with difficulties of bidding process. It is usually requiring numerous commitments from defense companies to secure loans for the country or to manufacture the vehicles in the country. Despite some positive orders in the past it is difficult to see Saab raising more than 50-100 new aircraft sales from its existing friendly clients, which means that in order for Saab to meet its expected orders of 300 aircraft, it will have to find multiple new clients, that meet Sweden’s arms sales criteria.