sorcerer
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2013
- Messages
- 26,919
- Likes
- 98,471
Sweden's Gripen fighter jets are seemed to be superior to the French Rafale and American F/A Super Hornet jets. Brazil made this conclusion and signed a contract with Saab to buy 36 fighter jets. The deal is estimated at $5.4 billion.
Moreover, Brazil has requested Sweden to develop the Sea Gripen for its navy. It plans to equip the country's aircraft carrier Sao Paulo with these planes. The most attractive side of the deal for Brazil is that Sweden agreed to handover the technology of production of the fighter jet. During ten years, Swedish and Brazilian specialist will produce advanced war planes in Brazil. In fact, Argentina on its part has shown interest in the project. According to Defence Aerospace information portal, Argentinian Defence Minister Agustin Rossi has instructed to start negotiations with Brazil on the purchase of 24 Gripen fighter jets assembled in Brazil.
Experts of IHS Jane's Defence Weekly believe that Sweden will launch a struggle for the Indian arms market and will try to convince Indian military leaders of the superiority of its Gripen fighter jets over French Rafael jets.
Sweden's strongest argument will be the simplicity and easy maintenance of its jets. According to independent experts, the Gripen requires three to five man-hours of maintenance per flight hour. That means, after an hour-long mission, 6-10 technicians require only 30 minutes to put the fighter back in the air. In this index, the Gripen significantly surpasses its competitors. For example, The French Rafale needs 15 man-hours, while the American F-35 Lightening II - 30-35 man-hours.
According to Jane's operating cost of the Gripen is $4,700 per hour. The Rafale is thrice as expensive, at $15,000 per hour.
The Sea Gripen could be very attractive for India. The Indian Navy is planning to receive Naval Tejas carrier capable planes in addition to Russia's MiG-29 jets for the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier which is being built now. However, experts are skeptical about their readiness by 2018 when the aircraft carrier will be commissioned into the Navy. Consequently, there is a possibility that the Indian Navy might buy the Sea Gripen jets instead of the Tejas.
However, the most attractive aspect for Delhi could be cooperation with Saab in the production of its own fighter jets. In 2011, then DRDO chief V K Saraswat had approached Saab to collaborate in developing the Tejas Mark II.
According to Manoj Joshi of Observer Research Foundation, "the greatest benefit to the Tejas Mark II could be from the Gripen's superb networking. Aerial combat is no longer about eye-catching aerobatics; it is about data links; networking, and cockpit avionics, which is Saab's strength".
The approval of the Swedish fighter jets is shared by military experts in many countries. In 2011, the Swiss government chose Gripen rather than the French Rafle and Eurofighter Typhoon. Air Forces of Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa and Thailand have the Gripen fighter jets. The Swedish aircraft are being used to train pilots at UK Empire Test Pilots' School.
Swedish fighter jets surpass French planes in superiority - News - Society - Russian Radio
Moreover, Brazil has requested Sweden to develop the Sea Gripen for its navy. It plans to equip the country's aircraft carrier Sao Paulo with these planes. The most attractive side of the deal for Brazil is that Sweden agreed to handover the technology of production of the fighter jet. During ten years, Swedish and Brazilian specialist will produce advanced war planes in Brazil. In fact, Argentina on its part has shown interest in the project. According to Defence Aerospace information portal, Argentinian Defence Minister Agustin Rossi has instructed to start negotiations with Brazil on the purchase of 24 Gripen fighter jets assembled in Brazil.
Experts of IHS Jane's Defence Weekly believe that Sweden will launch a struggle for the Indian arms market and will try to convince Indian military leaders of the superiority of its Gripen fighter jets over French Rafael jets.
Sweden's strongest argument will be the simplicity and easy maintenance of its jets. According to independent experts, the Gripen requires three to five man-hours of maintenance per flight hour. That means, after an hour-long mission, 6-10 technicians require only 30 minutes to put the fighter back in the air. In this index, the Gripen significantly surpasses its competitors. For example, The French Rafale needs 15 man-hours, while the American F-35 Lightening II - 30-35 man-hours.
According to Jane's operating cost of the Gripen is $4,700 per hour. The Rafale is thrice as expensive, at $15,000 per hour.
The Sea Gripen could be very attractive for India. The Indian Navy is planning to receive Naval Tejas carrier capable planes in addition to Russia's MiG-29 jets for the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier which is being built now. However, experts are skeptical about their readiness by 2018 when the aircraft carrier will be commissioned into the Navy. Consequently, there is a possibility that the Indian Navy might buy the Sea Gripen jets instead of the Tejas.
However, the most attractive aspect for Delhi could be cooperation with Saab in the production of its own fighter jets. In 2011, then DRDO chief V K Saraswat had approached Saab to collaborate in developing the Tejas Mark II.
According to Manoj Joshi of Observer Research Foundation, "the greatest benefit to the Tejas Mark II could be from the Gripen's superb networking. Aerial combat is no longer about eye-catching aerobatics; it is about data links; networking, and cockpit avionics, which is Saab's strength".
The approval of the Swedish fighter jets is shared by military experts in many countries. In 2011, the Swiss government chose Gripen rather than the French Rafle and Eurofighter Typhoon. Air Forces of Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa and Thailand have the Gripen fighter jets. The Swedish aircraft are being used to train pilots at UK Empire Test Pilots' School.
Swedish fighter jets surpass French planes in superiority - News - Society - Russian Radio
