IIRC the part where he states “It can reach supersonic speeds on dry thrust” (i.e. supercruise) makes me believe he is talking about the JAS39E as that is the only one that is capable of that.
Hm, yes i do believe you are right, the C can reach it with afterburner but the E can reach it without if im not mistaken.
I think he’s referring to the 39C, I also recall reading about a pilot account saying something similar for the Gripen.
Also
It can reach supersonic speeds on dry thrust while carrying a full armament of four AMRAAM’s two Sidewinders and an external fuel tank.
That is 39C’s full armament, 39E carries way more.
Edit: just noticed that’s Englund, his claims are pretty controversial, however I recall a Gripen pilot mentioning something similar in an interview
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It is the full armament of C but also E, if the E takes the external fuel tank it can’t take the extra missiles/bombs as they are belly mounted an the tank interferes with them.
Spoiler
The C doesn’t have the thrust to be able to supercruise. One of the bigger selling points of the E version is its new engine.
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Which should give 1-1 TWR with full loadout.
Previous Gripen models can only reach 1 ratio after burning certain amount of fuel, with Gripen E this problem is solved.
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Regardless of whether or not it’s C or E, it would take it absolute ages to go supersonic on dry thrust especially with ordnance. Top speed is already hampered down to 1.4 mach with afterburner when loaded with such a payloadfor the JAS 39C based on two foreign buyers analysis.
There are also other aircraft in game already that can do this, it’s not particularly impressive it just shows good dynamic thrust at transonic regions and poor afterburner increase thereafter.
A lot of planes will get above 1M on MIL thrust. Gripen A/C is also capable of getting above 1M at MIL, but in a clean configuration under specific conditions - practically useless.
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Apparently the Gripen B can exceed Mach 1.0 on mil power, at low altitude, while carrying an external fuel tank.
I haven’t come across the limited supercruise capability of the JAS-39 being used in any way, it’s more about PR and conditions over the Baltic Sea.
Not surprising as I said, deltas like Gripen are better optimized for drag in low AoA conditions and for supersonic speeds. Low wave drag airframe.
Apply any AoA and suddenly that changes.
Designs like F-16 and F-18 have other necessities and requirements to meet that inevitably makes them draggier.
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@Smin1080p @Gunjob No response? This change was listed in the update changelog but then didn’t come to the game yet and it has been more than a week.
I was under the impression that was the previous FM change, as it was missed off the previous patch notes and was included after the fact in newer patch notes.
So they finally included a change in the patch notes… 3 months later?