It's the electronics (or lack of) that makes the difference IMO. Not just the thrust. I can't really see the point of buying the Grippen to be honest. Shouldn't be much of an improvement over the current fleet. If anything I too must say the Rafale would've been an interesting pick - aside from the EF.

Just for that I wld buy one for my backyard (read the kidney/Porsche story - ok I need more than a kidney here)

Grip NG was by far the best choice for a F5 replacement for Switzerland.

[OT_Mode=ON/] Talking abt cars I hope that SAAB wld celebrate this with a new descent model. Time to wake up the guys in GotherBorg!

Ehh - you mean that upgrading from F-5:s to JAS-39 should not be much of an improvement? C'mon - that's rather harsh ;)

Lol nooooo

I mean range, Radar antenna size, weapon loads etc...

It's a really good plane well suited for the job here.

I am sure tonight LkdM start to think of a better future (the gap is closed hence the furious comments on prices).

DA shld hve run with a serious M2K-NG.

But if I was from SW I wld hve run directly with a F20 instead of such a wild ride with a STOL derivé:rolleyes:

Sometime mixing both expectation is not what get satisfaction. Well it's late, time to say it to the gf:oops:

I'm very happy about this. It's another in a long line of fine aircraft from Sweden.

I agree with the Swiss reasoning that there is no reason to pay for a few extravagantly expensive fighters. Better with more (technologically advanced and fully capable) cheaper ones.

I think it's a wonderful looking plane. Originally the tail was swept back I think (on the prototype). It was straightened for purposes of stability. I actually prefer the final look of it.

Big beautiful photos of Gripen/Griffin

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y12...1253gripen.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y12...pen_cz2_hr.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y12...r_Brazil-2.jpg

if i understood correct the Gripen is not ment to replace the Hornets?!
Waste of money.....wondering how it got through the swiss direct democratic.



EDIT:
after reading some newspapers about this, i would say this deal is not done already, only the choice of the government

Our Army is running dry due to all the cuts, we have less than 4 Billion for 140k men.

Something I experienced myself before I retired(from Militia, you had to show up once a year for 3weeks).
We had a AWD Mercedes Sprinter with tranny and ABS problems, the mechanics only told us:
Sorry guys can't fix it before next year, we have to wait for the new budget.
WTF?!
:(

Back in '95 we were pretty well equipped, today everything is falling apart...


They dont have any money parked in Delaware, UK, Germany and France, right? ;)

No, the Gripens are supposed to replace our F5s

And yes, you're correct concerning the democratic process, the lefties probably are going to demand a poll.
But:
It wont be about Gripen or something else, it will be about Gripen or no fighters before 2020 at all.
No new fighters would mean the Army had lost it's democratic backup.
The next poll would be about the dissolution of the Swiss Army, likely with a similar result.
You could basically say, if the Gripen loses, the Swiss Army will be gone in less than 10 years.

I expect ~55% of the people voting pro new jets.



edit:
Isn't it a beautiful plane?
(In fact, it always was my first choice, even back in the day when we bought the ugly and super expensive F18 )

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/1...20x1200.th.jpg

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/1...20x1200.th.jpg

but running two different jets inthis times by a small airforce.......
i don t know the useable resttime of the swiss Hornets, but even bigger airforces are going to one type jet. It wil not last long, and the german one wil use only its ~140 Eurofighters. the few Tornados, with the newest plan only 85, will be out of service in a few years.

Switzerlandvand multirole jets, do thes plan to take part on international missions......for homedefence, groundattack.....not realy seriously, therefor i said waste of money.

buying a dozen more of used Hornets (if possible) would be more logical
. but perhaps more expensive than thought to bring them to the swiss standarts, if possible at all.

but in one or two decades thesecGripens would be the only swiss jets anyway, when the Hornets will have reached the end of their structual lifetime.


impersonaly wondering if at least in the "west" the F-35 will not be the last manned jet project for a very long time , if not at all......