Thu, Jan 22, 2009
Supersonic Flight, Without Use Of Afterburner
There's a new fighter in the exclusive "supercruise" club. On a
test flight this week, the Gripen Demo aircraft proved its ability
to fly supersonic without the use of afterburner... joining the
F-22 Raptor and Eurofighter Typhoon as the only current fighter
aircraft with that capability.
Last fall, the Gripen Demo performed 40 sorties as part of the
development program that focused on opening up the flight envelope
regarding speed, altitude, angle-of-attack and loads. This year,
the testing has continued at the same high tempo.
The Gripen Demo team says this week's supercruise flight is part
of the ongoing high speed supersonic testing that will include
supersonic flights, with different load alternatives. Supercruise
capability allows much greater fuel efficiency at supersonic
speeds, versus use of afterburners.
Saab test pilot Magnus Ljungdahl flew the Gripen Demonstrator
aircraft in supercruise. "The flight was conducted over the Baltic
Sea, my altitude was 28,000 feet and the speed achieved was above
Mach 1.2. Without using afterburner I maintained the same speed
until I ran out of test area and had to head back to the Saab Test
Flight Centre in Linkoping."
The Gripen Demo aircraft is a flying test platform for the next
generation of Gripen and for the further development of the present
Gripen C/D aircraft. Saab says that together with a ground-based
test rig, the Gripen Demonstrator will develop and prove the
essential systems and capabilities for the future, including its
more powerful General Electric F414G engine, an Active
Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, advanced communications
and electronic warfare systems.
Saab is marketing the Gripen as an alternative to other advanced
fighters on the market, most notably the US-sourced F-22 and
upcoming F-35, and the European Typhoon.
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