Gripen for India

Permanent air bases are usually the first target of attacks in modern warfare. To counter such a threat, Sweden and a few other countries utilise a dispersed-operations concept where fighters operate from simple road bases as opposed to solely using more susceptible Main Operating Bases (MoBs). Air forces that follow this concept regularly conduct dispersed exercises to operate from ordinary roads in different places in the country. This way of working is soon to be adopted across the globe.

India's topography is as diverse as its people. From the blistering heat of Rajasthan's deserts to the chilling cold of Leh's high-altitude regions, the country has many extreme weather conditions, often at its borders. Consequently, the Indian Air Force requires fighter aircraft that can overcome extreme weather and perform effortlessly. 

From dominating beyond visual range (BVR) missions to engaging in dogfights, Gripen E's weapon system covers all bases. The fighter can carry a payload of 10 weapons to conduct a wide variety of offensive and defensive missions. Read on to learn about a few of the many weapon types that can be used with Gripen to maximise its lethality.

Every Gripen pilot goes through a carefully tailored training programme before flying the fighter in real life. For this training, a vital tool is the Gripen Mission Trainer simulator which can generate realistic environments for the pilot. The very high level of realism offered does not just prepare the pilots for the real deal but also reduces the live training time and cost significantly. In addition, specific emergency procedures can be simulated, many of which cannot be trained for in real life.

An effective Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) is a lot more than the range it offers. It is also about how big the “no escape zone” you generate, i.e. within what range you are 100 % certain of shooting down your target. Mission success is also highly dependent on the fighter that launches the missile. The level of integration between the fighter´s sensors, avionics and the Meteor makes all the difference.

Flying a fighter aircraft like Gripen is a dream for many pilots. But behind the realisation of this dream is an intense training process that encompasses everything from preparing the body for challenging scenarios to understanding the fighter inside out. In action are trainers with decades of flying experience, simulators that create realistic battle scenarios, and a process that keeps expanding to include new trends in defence technology.

When Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi launched the ‘Make in India’ campaign to create an environment in the country that is conducive to capability building, investment, and skill development, among other things, it resonated with the Saab values of self-reliance. Back in 1937, when the world was on the brink of another World War, Sweden decided to build its own fighter aircraft. Ever since, the country has strived to realise self-reliance in various domains, especially defence.

To create a world-class fighter aircraft manufacturing base in a country, it is important to build a strong network of partner firms first. This month, Saab’s Gripen team went on a road trip to major Indian cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai to have conversations with suppliers in areas such as electronic warfare, surveillance and avionics.

Extensively used throughout the globe, the GPS (Global Positioning System) is a big support system for both civilian needs and military operations. It is a system of 30+ satellites orbiting the earth which broadcast signals and codes. These codes are then translated into accurate time and position on the receiver’s navigation device. In the field of defence, the GPS helps aircraft navigate safely through unchartered territories, and conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It also helps in precise combat power by assisting GPS-guided missiles in tracking and targeting the enemies.

What would the fighter of tomorrow look like? Simply put, it would be a platform that can keep integrating all the possible new areas of technology development – faster processing speeds, artificial intelligence, new weapon systems etc. The question is whether such a fighter platform is ready for the taking given India’s quest for new fighters which necessarily have to keep absorbing rapid changes in EW, weapon systems, Human Machine Interface and the next generation of network-centric warfare.