Swiss combat pilots
- Thread starter Pedro Monteiro
- Start date
It's "official"... "Fact sheet page" (at the bottom)
Another possibility is a gov-to-gov deal. My assumption is made because of this article(no english version available). It's about Lt Gen Walter Knutti (Cdr SAF) visiting SwAF 7th fighter wing to take a closer look at the SAAB JAS 39 Gripen. Of course he also got some time in the air in the backseat of a 39D. ((Are there more articles of this nature out on the net?))
The Swedish Air Force has around 70 A/B Gripens which will be scrapped if no one wants them.
Another possibility is a gov-to-gov deal. My assumption is made because of this article(no english version available). It's about Lt Gen Walter Knutti (Cdr SAF) visiting SwAF 7th fighter wing to take a closer look at the SAAB JAS 39 Gripen. Of course he also got some time in the air in the backseat of a 39D. ((Are there more articles of this nature out on the net?))
The Swedish Air Force has around 70 A/B Gripens which will be scrapped if no one wants them.
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Not since January 2005. I suspect that Saab felt BAe was using its involvement in Gripen International to favour Typhoon when both were in contention. Officially it was because Saab had gained enough marketing experience, & no longer needed the tie-up.
The Swiss military has done similar visits to the other three offering companies in the last 2-3 years, including close examinations and such (I think they visited Dassault first). Sweden just wasn't "available" at that time or something like that.
Must admit Swerve, I'm almost certain BAE are still involved in the Grippen International joint venture, our literature and the Grippen website seem to indicate so. Lets not forget also, BAE own a 20% share in Saab AB Group as a whole.
Anyway, I'm straying off topic. Sorry.
contedicavour
New Member
Well if Sweden sells second hand Gripens for a pittance vs new acquisition costs, then I guess it would be hard to refuse. Especially as the Gripens are the most closely comparable to the F5E/Fs being replaced (in terms of size and role I mean).
I guess Sweden is smart enough however to want a minimum order for new aircrafts before selling on the cheap the unneeded ones in their air force.
By the way, minus the 70 Gripens mentioend, how many remain in Swedish service ?
cheers
I guess Sweden is smart enough however to want a minimum order for new aircrafts before selling on the cheap the unneeded ones in their air force.
By the way, minus the 70 Gripens mentioend, how many remain in Swedish service ?
cheers
How about the operational budget? The F-5 is known for its low operational costs. Typhoons and Super Hornets would probably require the yearly budget to increase substantially or the numbers cut drastically. Even Rafale would be quite more costly to operate.
contedicavour
New Member
True, but keeping up maintenance for a jet that's not being in production for 25 years now will gradually become more and more difficult and expensive. Also, it depends on what performance you're looking for. The F5 has no BVR capability and is slow vs the other planes mentioned. Still good for some advanced training though I must admit.
cheers
I put it poorly, & I thought the pullback was bigger than it was. My mistake.
It looks as if BAe pulled out of direct participation in marketing, leaving it all to be done by Gripen International, & led by Saab. BAe puts it as "SAAB takes increased marketing responsibility for Gripen Fighter Aircraft", & linked it with the reduction of BAes Saab shareholding, from 35% to 20.5%.
And you're right, we're pulling this off-topic. Enough?
fftopic SwAF ordered 204. Six of those don't exist, crashes and so on. 28 is temporarily in the hands of Hungarian and Czech AF. So SwAF, FMV and FOI should have 170 Gripens in all versions. Ca 70 of those is the latest (hardware-)version, that is C/D. 30 A/B will be upgraded to C/D.
I haven't found anything about what will happen to the 70 "old" Gripen jets.
In a few years SwAF should have 100 of the latest Gripen fighter jets and probably alot of spare parts.
I thought the Czech Gripens were new-built for the Czech Republic?
SwAF ordered 204. Six of those don't exist, crashes and so on. 28 is temporarily in the hands of Hungarian and Czech AF. So SwAF, FMV and FOI should have 170 Gripens in all versions. Ca 70 of those is the latest (hardware-)version, that is C/D. 30 A/B will be upgraded to C/D.
I haven't found anything about what will happen to the 70 "old" Gripen jets.
In a few years SwAF should have 100 of the latest Gripen fighter jets and probably alot of spare parts.
DiD lists production & orders as -
Prototypes 6 (5 single-seat, 1 2-seat)
JAS-39A 105 (Sweden)
JAS-39B 14 (Sweden)
JAS-39C 70 (Sweden)
12 (Czech Republic)
19 (S. Africa)
JAS-39D 14 (Sweden)
2 (Czech Republic)
9 (S. Africa)
Total 251 built or on order: 203 for Sweden (-14 sold on), 6 prototypes, 42 for export.
Hungary - 12 JAS-39C & 2 D rebuilt from Swedish As & Bs.
A few are kept busy by the Empire Test Pilots School & testing of Meteor.
I was only describing the swedish Gripens.
The leased Gripens are upgraded A/B-versions.
If I got it right those leased Gripens will be replaced by new ones. The leased Gripens can be bought, if not - the fighters will be returned to SwAF.
http://www.fmv.se/WmTemplates/Page.aspx?id=1413
ETPS has one 39B.
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The leased Gripens are upgraded A/B-versions.
If I got it right those leased Gripens will be replaced by new ones. The leased Gripens can be bought, if not - the fighters will be returned to SwAF.
http://www.fmv.se/WmTemplates/Page.aspx?id=1413
ETPS has one 39B.
[[[Move posts to new threads? Mods?]]]
You included both Czech & Hungarian Gripens among the Swedish tally, but they were new-build for the Czechs, not ex-SwAF.
Also, the Czech Gripens are leased, like the Hungarian ones. Or so says the FMV.
http://www.gripen.com/NR/rdonlyres/...5644DA9E302/0/FMV_Status_Update_Gripen_Cz.pdf
IIRC (but I could be wrong) it's a "lease to buy" contract, under which if they make all the payments, at the end of the lease they keep the aircraft. That's definitely what the Hungarian deal is, & it's for C & D standard aircraft. The original Hungarian lease arrangement was changed. Again, from the FMV via Gripen.com -
http://www.gripen.com/NR/rdonlyres/3AC7AE9D-2BB6-4198-9AAD-FFD6915F271B/0/Hungary_FMV_Update.pdf
Page 2, paragraph 3 - "The lease is for a ten year period, ... following which the aircraft become the property of the Hungarian government.
http://www.fmv.se/WmTemplates/page.aspx?id=1189
I agree, this might deserve a new thread. Start a suitable one, & perhaps someone will move the posts. I will later, or tomorrow, if nobody else does. But got to do something else now.