Fri, Apr 25, 2008
Upgraded Fighter Includes More Power, Better Avionics
Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab
unveiled its Gripen demonstrator aircraft Thursday, giving guests
and international media their first official glimpses of the
advanced fighter aircraft.
"This is a landmark event for Saab and its international
industrial partners and a significant moment in the future of
fighter aircraft technology and performance. I am very proud of
what we have achieved and am confident that this next generation of
Gripen will be blazing trails in the skies for years to come", said
Saab CEO Ake Svensson.
During the ceremony the Gripen Demo was unveiled and the major
new features picked out with powerful spotlights. The guests
included Norway's Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen,
Sweden's Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors, The Czech Deputy Minister
of Defence FrantiSek Padelek and the Secretary of State in
Hungary's Ministry of Defence, Joszef Bali. Representatives from
Gripen's customer countries as well as campaign countries India,
Greece, Denmark and Norway were present.
The Gripen Demo includes a new, more powerful engine; a modular
avionics system; a greater payload, and longer range; and an
entirely new radar system that Saab will develop, together with
Thales.
The flying test platform will be used to introduce new
technology and functions to Gripen. The new capabilities could be
the basis for a totally new version and/or will be completely or
partially integrated into current versions of Gripen.
Magnus Lewis Olsson, a test pilot at Saab, pointed out in his
speech that Sweden is one of only six countries that manufactures
fighter aircraft at present... prompting Svensson to comment the
Gripen must retain its position at the cutting edge of technology
for another 30-40 years. "With [the] Gripen Demo the future is
already here, he said.
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