New and more powerful engine for the JAS 39 Gripen aircraft

[tigershark]

I saw this and know we have some Gripen fans here I'm one of them too. 

     
Bigger, More Powerful And Cheaper
Posted by Bill Sweetman at 12/13/2007 8:03 AM
An unexpected feature of the new Gripen Demo prototype, designed to lay the groundwork for a next-generation version of Sweden's multi-role fighter, is that its General Electric F414G engine actually costs less than the older, less powerful RM12 engine in the current JAS 39C/D aircraft.

The reason? The RM12 is a custom-modified version of the F404, which is now out of production, while the F414G is almost identical to the Super Hornet engine, in full-rate production. The Gripen team has also been fortunate in that the RM12 and the F414 are close in airflow requirements, avoiding a very costly redesign of the inlets and main bulkheads of the fighter.

Gripen International managing director Johan Lehander says that the final major decision on the Gripen Demo program (formally launched by an October 17 contract) will be the choice of a partner to help develop an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the new fighter.

Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Selex are the candidates for AESA co-development. Lehander drops no hints, but Selex was the development partner on the existing radar and has shown some remarkable prowess in low-cost AESAs.

A Gripen brief shows a novel AESA configuration.

blog post photo


Note that the array is installed at an oblique angle to reduce radar cross-section, like most AESAs, and that it also appears to be movable in the roll axis - increasing its total field of regard and improving its off-boresight performance. The only other place I have seen this arrangement is in a Selex concept for Typhoon:

blog post photo

It may be a hint, and we will know early next year, before Farnborough.

Remarkably, the extensively modified Demo aircraft - with a new engine and new main landing gear among other changes - is still due to fly in 2008

Link
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3adf6022a1-6b56-4e57-8aa8-1a63b45dc889

[Gripen]

Well its about bloody time :|

[Viggen]

Good news!!!

Hope this engine will increase the amount of power significant. 

[Webmaster]

Old news:
http://www.milavia.net/aircraft/gripen/news/2007/saab-selected-ge-f414g-engine-for-new-gripen-variant.html

I changed your topic title, it's not a new engine for the C/D versions, it's for the next generation, so E/F. Actually, it seems only a third generation two-seater will be developed. The program is to develop a Demonstrator, for potential future Gripen N or Gripen DK (Norway & Denmark). It has also been named as Gripen NG, Next Generation.

The AESA part is more interesting.

Thales has been reported to be the fourth potential candidate for the AESA. But Thales has a joint venture with Raytheon focused on the radar business, so I don't know if it's the same offer.

Selex is owned by Finmeccanica (also owns Alenia) with BAE as major shareholder with 25%, and BAE owns Saab for 20%. So could be a done deal this...

The new Gripen:

[Raptor]

Well it's a bloody nice design. Lol Sweden is "neutral" and they hold one of the best fighters in the world.

[Gripen]

Well, its better then being the 'superpower' and having a plane that no one else can afford....

[Raptor]

Well having the plane that no one else can afford because it's a small superpower itself is a good thing

[tigershark]

Maybe we can afford it and we don't want to sell it, have you thought about that?   Myself I hope we don't sell it to anybody why not keep the best for us for once.    Once the datalink situation gets straighten out no one going to touch this fighter or the F-35 basically for ten years.   It's twenty time a bigger leap in tech then going from a early F-4 to an F-15C  why not enjoy the advantage for a while.   Russia has the minds and people to do it but are years behind and lack the funding and the Chinese have the funding by lack the personnel.  Both countries are falling further behind daily because the F-35 program will spring board off the F-22 program.   Imagine a smart weapon that weights 300 lbs and blow up things like a 2,000 lbs bomb, that when the F-35 will be mind blowing.   It's the new weapons coming out in the future that will really make this platform amazing. 

[Gripen]

So, your basically saying "Screw all our allies that have helped us through the last 60-odd years of relations, we're too up our selves to sell a plane that would give them equal fighter capability with us? Nah, we'll just sell them a plane thats not as good, costs almost the same amount and will probably end up behind schedule"

[Webmaster]

We know where this is heading... stop it.

Let's get back on topic: the new Gripen version.

[Raptor]

Politics, politics. tsk tsk.

I was wondering. That new engine thing? What's the fuel efficeincy?

[Webmaster]

Well, the F414G is still under development. It may be possible that Saab/Volvo will sacrifice some of the fuel efficiency for additional power.

But the standard F414 has a

3- to 4-percent cruise-specific fuel consumption improvement over the F404-GE-400 engine

according to http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/systems/f414.htm

At maximum power, it probably has a higher consume rate than the F404 at full power, considering the 30% additional thrust. GE hasn't published the figure yet.

Anyway, they're adding more internal fuel as well to the new variant, so range/payload capabilities will increase anyway.