Saab wants to future-proof the Gripen E through the power of software

Building a modern jet aircraft is a daunting task and few countries have the industrial and technological capability to do so. In many ways, Sweden is an unlikely member of that group.

A medium-sized economy with a population of only 10 million, the Scandinavian country has nevertheless managed to create a capable 4th-generation aircraft in the Gripen. And its latest iteration, the Gripen E, aims to push the jet even further.

A multirole fighter, the “E” variant is considered a 4.5th-generation aircraft and sports several improvements over its C and D predecessors. These include two extra hardpoints for a total of 10; an AESA radar; an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) suite; a stronger engine; improved electronic warfare suite; and a cockpit environment with a wide area display (WAD).

But it is the fighter’s avionics system that Saab – the jet’s manufacturer – is banking on to keep the aircraft relevant for years to come.

The Gripen E’s avionics system has “forever made ‘fighter generations’ a thing of the past,” the company states on its promotional material.

This statement, “reflects a fundamental change in how we design fighter aircraft,” Johan Segertoft, Saab’s head of business unit Gripen told Sandboxx News last year.

“Traditional hardware-centric approaches often lead to complex, inflexible systems that struggle to keep up with rapidly evolving threats. The Gripen E’s software-defined architecture allows us to continuously upgrade and adapt the aircraft’s capabilities,” Segertoft added.

This architecture will allow Saab to integrate “new sensors, weapons, electronic warfare systems, and even cockpit interfaces much faster and more efficiently than with older designs,” he said.

Segertoft, called this software-driven approach “not just a trend; [but] the future of airpower.

A Gripen E of the Brazilian Air Force. October 2022. (Photo by SO Johnson/Brazilian Air Force)

The company hopes that the Gripen E’s avionics system will allow the aircraft to continuously evolve and stay ahead of the curve.

However, despite its noteworthy capabilities, the Gripen E isn’t a stealth aircraft and Saab’s software approach may not be enough to place it on an equal footing with 5th generation stealth fighters, like the F-35.

Stealth relies primarily on hardware, that is the design of a jet’s body and its coating of radar-absorbent material (RAM); and software cannot compensate for a lack of hardware. Tellingly, the fighter has lost several contracts to the F-35.

Yet, Saab keeps investing in safeguarding the jet’s future.

The aircraft’s design philosophy and software architecture are directly applicable to future combat aircraft concepts, Segertoft told Sandboxx News.

Indeed, last year, the company tested one such concept, when it successfully integrated an AI agent onboard the aircraft. Centaur, as the AI is called, will be able to autonomously perform beyond-visual-range air-to-air combat by leveraging the Gripen’s sensors.

Saab has previously said that the Gripen will keep getting updated with newer technologies “up until 2050-2060.”

The Gripen E was developed to address evolving threats, namely those coming from Russia, which is seen as the main security threat facing Sweden.

Countering Russian capabilities has been baked into the Gripen E’s design. Reportedly, the aircraft’s electronic warfare suite is tailored against Russian systems. Further, the aircraft was built to be easily serviceable requiring only a small ground crew without many specialists. Lastly, the aircraft is extremely capable at landing and taking off from small, austere airstrips – even including highways – in line with the country’s dogma of dispersed operations.

Current customers of the E variant include, Brazil, Sweden, Thailand, and Peru. Ukraine recently signed a letter of intent to purchase between 100 and 150 of the aircraft. Canada is considering a large purchase of Gripen Es over the F-35; and Colombia is also planning on adding the jet to its arsenal.

“We don’t know exactly what threats the future holds, but the Gripen E’s ability to evolve and adapt ensures it will remain a relevant and powerful asset for decades to come,” Segertoft said.

Feature Image: Gripen E fighters. (Saab)

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