Sweden’s mighty Gripen fighter jets await major upgrade

Sweden has taken a key step in strengthening its air force’s long-range strike capabilities by selecting the German Taurus KEPD-350 air-launched cruise missile to be integrated with its domestically produced Gripen fighter jets.

The country’s defence procurement agency has been tasked with overseeing their integration into the Swedish Air Force’s fleet. According to an article by Eurasian Times, this decision was outlined in the annual report of the Swedish Ministry of Defence in March.

The Taurus KEPD-350 is a stealthy, air-launched cruise missile developed by Germany’s Taurus Systems GmbH in collaboration with MBDA Deutschland GmbH (formerly LFK) and Saab Bofors Dynamics. The missile is designed for precision strikes against fortified and high-value targets with a range of over 500 kilometers.

The JAS-39E Gripen, a single-seat fighter jet developed by Swedish defence giant Saab, embodies Sweden’s defensive philosophy—favoring dispersed air operations, rapid maintenance, and operational flexibility. Designed for air forces facing growing threats and vast territories to secure, the Gripen E features cutting-edge avionics, making it a top-tier dogfighting jet.

Swedish defence philosophy

Sweden, with a population of 7.5 million, has maintained an “alliance-free” policy for over a century, ensuring its military readiness without formal commitments to alliances until its 2024 accession to NATO. The term used is “alliance-free” rather than “neutral,” underscoring Sweden’s commitment to maintaining military readiness and defending its sovereignty against any potential threats.

To reinforce this stance, Sweden has developed a comprehensive defence strategy known as total defence. This approach maximizes the nation’s resources to ensure security while maintaining the country's economic stability and prosperity. This stance is supported by Sweden’s "total defence" strategy, which integrates military, government, industry, and civilian efforts to counter conventional and unconventional threats, including economic and psychological warfare.

A key component of Sweden’s defence strategy is the Bas 90 air basing system, which prioritizes dispersed airfields over large, centralized bases. This system was influenced by the Israeli Air Force’s preemptive destruction of Egyptian and other Arab air forces in the 1967 Six-Day War. Bas 90 reduces the risk of an air fleet being wiped out on the ground by utilizing a network of small, austere air bases. The Gripen E plays a central role in this system, being capable of taking off and landing on 500-meter stretches of public roads, thanks to its powerful thrust-to-weight ratio, durable landing gear, and advanced flight control systems.

Gripen's technical features

The Gripen E is built for rapid deployment and maintenance, unlike more complex aircraft such as the F-35. It was explicitly designed for servicing by young conscripts with minimal training, allowing for quick turnaround times. Refueling and rearming for an air-to-air mission takes less than 20 minutes, with only a small crew and limited equipment required. Additionally, the Gripen E has low maintenance needs per flight hour, ensuring it spends more time in the air than in repair facilities.

Powered by a single General Electric F414-GE-39E turbofan engine, the Gripen E can reach speeds of Mach 2, approximately 2,414 km/h. The aircraft boasts 10 hardpoints for weapons and pods, offering world-class armament versatility. It can conduct air-to-air, air-to-surface, and reconnaissance missions, achieving air supremacy with up to seven Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missiles and two Within Visual Range IRIS-T missiles.

The Meteor missile, measuring 3.65 meters in length and weighing 185 kg, can travel at Mach 4 with a range exceeding 300 km. The IRIS-T missile, at 2.94 meters and 87.4 kg, can reach speeds of Mach 3 with a range of up to 40 km. The Gripen E is also armed with the 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon and can carry an array of air-to-air, air-to-ground, and anti-ship missiles, including the AIM-9 Sidewinder, AGM-65 Maverick, and RBS-15.

One of the Gripen E’s most revolutionary aspects is its avionics system, which separates mission-critical functions from flight software. This allows for continuous technological updates without requiring costly mid-life upgrades that typically reduce fleet availability. This adaptability ensures the Gripen E remains at the forefront of modern air combat for years to come.

With its advanced technology, rapid deployment capability, and integration into Sweden’s dispersed air defence strategy, the Gripen E represents a formidable force in modern aerial warfare.

By Nazrin Sadigova