Saab JAS-39 Gripen

[perttime]

... I'd be surprised if the USA let us buy F-35. Unless its a dumbed down version.

I recal the word was that they'd let Finland build or assemble F-35 - but wouldn't reveal how it works.

[taiidantomcat]

That's cool they can buy Australia's second hand supers then.

I would have said that was crazy at one point but the way the RAAF legacy hornets are flying off the shelf lately... 

[Volkodav]

If memory serves me correctly the sale of ex RAAF Hornets to Canada was first mooted in the late 80s / early 90s, before the end of the cold war. 

The story was that the Canadian Fleet was suffering higher attrition (or fatigue) than expected and they required additional airframes to maintain capability, with the still in production Australian F/A-18A/B being seen as the best option.  The idea was the aircraft would be transferred from existing RAAF stocks with Australian production being extended and perhaps switching to C/D models to replace the aircraft supplied to Canada.

[GTX_Admin]

That's cool they can buy Australia's second hand supers then.

I would have said that was crazy at one point but the way the RAAF legacy hornets are flying off the shelf lately... 

The RAAF Super Hornets will be in service until the 2030s and the Growlers possibly the 2040s

[taiidantomcat]

[GTX_Admin]

In the early 1990s, Germany was wanting a cheaper Eurofighter and even talked about a single engined version or getting out of the program altogether.  What if this did occur and thus we had something such as a German Saab Gripen?

[Volkodav]

Always thought Europe was a bit silly developing aircraft in the same class as each other, generation after generation.  Ideally they would have shared the best each developed in each generation.

[perttime]

Always thought Europe was a bit silly developing aircraft in the same class as each other, generation after generation.  Ideally they would have shared the best each developed in each generation.

Europe has never really been a unified entity. Different countries have had different ideas about what they REALLY want from the aircraft. Just from basic geography Germany and Sweden would have different primary needs. And then you have countries wanting carrier capability.

[ChernayaAkula]

In the early 1990s, Germany was wanting a cheaper Eurofighter and even talked about a single edge version or getting out of the program altogether.  What if this did occur and thus we had something such as a German Saab Gripen?

Interesting idea. 

Always thought Europe was a bit silly developing aircraft in the same class as each other, generation after generation.  Ideally they would have shared the best each developed in each generation.

What? And the decent, hard-working taxpayer of country X should line the pockets of the lazy *insert-generic-stereotype* in country Z?  Surely you jest!   

[GTX_Admin]

Some inspiration (click for bigger):

[ChernayaAkula]

First Gripen to accumulate more than 3,000 flight hours, I think.

[GTX_Admin]

Yep

[GTX_Admin]

Possibility if Germany had pulled out of the Eurofighter Typhoon program in the '90s:

[GTX_Admin]

One that just made so much sense:

[ysi_maniac]

No Canard Gripen

[ysi_maniac]

Swedish Hornet  -  Gripen on steroids

[GTX_Admin]

No Canard Gripen

Somewhat of a JF-17 look to it.

[ysi_maniac]

In early drawings of Gripen tailfin is like this.