JAS 39 Gripen: How Sweden Built The World’s Best Non Stealth Fighter Jet

The JAS-39 Gripen is an excellent low-cost fourth-generation fighter. Originally developed in Sweden the 1980s—part of the that nation’s efforts at maintaining a neutral foreign policy stance—the Nordic machine is designed to be relatively cheap, easy to maintain and fight off any potential aggressor. The JAS-39 Gripen emerged after the proliferation of the great fourth-generation fighters (F-14, F-15, F-16, F/A-18, MiG-29, Su-27) and could apply lessons learned from the development and procurement of those airframes. Sweden deliberately eschewed stealth because of concerns over costs, and focused on building an aircraft that modest-budgeted customers could afford. Subscribe Now :