Gets added without EW features in an EW update anyway.
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These two pictures are actually both Gripen E, just with different technical specifications. The Gripen E’s aileron shape modification happened after the Gripen E started to be delivered to users. In fact, the latest Gripen E delivered to Brazil has the modified larger-area ailerons, as can be seen in the picture. The screenshot is from this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/live/ImhrEtjAfqk?si=XfwtPVi7jjB1f8em.
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Oh that is interesting
Actually this modification was part of gripen ng but was not seen in gripen e
I knew NG had this extended wing but i didn’t know that some of the E’s did either.
Wow, that’s interesting. Thanks for the information! :D
Really cool that the modification actually is an option still, it’s likely going to be some sort of tradeoff between maneuverability vs fuel economy if i’m to venture a guess.
Not entirely sure that this is true however, i think i’ve seen images of the NG with the extended wing before any serial produced E versions were delivered. Not sure though as it was a while since i was reading up on the topic.
Edit:
Found some more info, the first serial produced Gripen E for Sweden (Tail number 6002) did not have the modification when it got delivered in 2019 (It doesn’t even have the IRST in the nose??? ).
Which is kind of interesting.
So at some point it got modified and the extended wing added.
(And the IRST got added before the extended wing.)
( Saab will introduce the Gripen E for the first time in Central Europe | NATO Days in Ostrava )
So is the modified wing just a standard for the newer models and slowly being applied to them is what i want to know.
As of now, Saab has not officially provided more information about this modification. Perhaps they do not consider it a very significant change (from a commercial marketing perspective for the aircraft).
If we refer to design changes on other aircraft, I am inclined to believe this is a modification similar to the Eurofighter’s AMK. The AMK also enhances flight performance by increasing the area of the ailerons. The Gripen E has a slight increase in weight compared to the previous Gripen C, so perhaps Saab wanted to optimize the aircraft’s flight performance by enlarging the aileron area.
Seems like it’s VERY new still. All the photos i can find of the first two serial E versions didn’t have the modification in late 2023, one of them has it in early 2024. The last know delivered jet (Tail 6012) doesn’t have the modification in any of the photos i can find of it.
So like a bit more than a year ago that the first serial produced Swedish JAS39E got the modification.
(Great site for photos of specific aircraft with tailnumbers vissible and date of photo taken etc: https://www.jetphotos.com/showphotos.php?aircraft=Saab%2BJAS-39E%2BGripen&search-type=Advanced&sort-order=2 )
Edit:
Fun sidenote: The AI flown version does have the modification: ( https://res.cloudinary.com/dkkd45ayz/image/upload/f_auto,dpr_auto,q_auto,fl_progressive/w_1.0,h_0.9012455516014234875444839858,c_fill,g_auto/w_1024,h_576,c_scale/episerver/4650ca85-d6bf-4fae-ab9a-5af30f7de87e/20250611-en-5069661-1.jpg )
I hope for the gripen E and the J-10B soon
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Is ng = to e?
I don’t think so, those are two different aircraft, but i don’t remember what are the things differents as those are minor.
NG is the E but without the EW kit. So you get the bigger body, better engine, 9 missile hardpoints, Raven AESA radar. 360° MAWS system. Basically everything the E has execpt for the Araxis EW suite.
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