Three Facts about Gripen E/F Adaptability
In this era and age, can you imagine using a mobile phone for more than three years? The need for new functionalities and features will prompt you to go for a new phone sooner than the tentative expiry date of the current one. But when it comes to fighter jets, owing to the huge costs involved, you can't follow the same process. So how do we make sure a fighter jet remains relevant for years to come?
By making them super-adaptable.
Split Avionics
Gripen's revolutionary avionics system separates the fighter's mission-critical parts from the flight-critical. The split means new features can be added throughout Gripen operations without re-certifying the flight critical software. Even during the development of Gripen E, split avionics has come in very handy; the newer prototype has several new features as compared to the first one.
From new computers to screens, radars, sensors, and latest GPS-denied navigation system, Gripen E can be updated with multiple features without touching its hardware. The result is a fighter ahead of its competitors, today and tomorrow.
Fast Updates and Integrations
“There isn’t any other fighter aircraft today that can easily integrate a wide range of weapons as fast as a Gripen can. Any weapon of Indian choice can be integrated with the Gripen fighter,’’ says Mats Palmberg, Head of Gripen India Campaign.
Gripen has been designed to incorporate software changes in a fuss-free manner. Any new technology, as soon as it is available, can be seamlessly added to the fighter system. As far as the weapon systems are concerned, Gripen E has been designed in a way that allows for the integration of weapons from around the world.
The biofuel edge
The future of oil is uncertain. And Gripen is a gamechanger here. Fresh off its biofuel flight test success, the fighter is ready for future operations where forces may face oil crisis. The biofuel compatibility does not just open doors for reducing environmental impact from military aviation, but also takes Gripen’s adaptability a notch above by making it ready for various fuel scenarios of the future.