NEWS Headlines
SAAB FLEW the first seriesproduction Gripen E aircraft for Sweden on November 30. Test pilot Henrik Wänseth from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk, FMV) was at the controls for the 76-minute sortie. The company confirmed that the fighter, serial 39-6002, wearing the code ‘6002’, is entering the joint Swedish test programme and will carry out acceptance and operational development flights. The jet features a cockpit equipped with the company’s Wide Area Display (WAD).
Saab has also completed three Gripen E prototypes. Aircraft 39-8 (first flown on June 15, 2017) is mainly being used for airframe and general flight control tests, while 39-9 (November 26, 2018) is a tactical systems testbed, and 39-10 (June 10, 2019) has been completed as a production-standard airframe.
Sweden is due to receive the first of 60 Gripen Es before the end of 2019 and deliveries will continue until 2026. Brazil’s initial Gripen E, 39-6001, first flew last August 26. Brazil has ordered an initial 28 Gripen Es and eight twin-seat Gripen Fs.
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