kids encyclopedia robot

Saab JAS 39 Gripen facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
JAS Gripen
Saab JAS 39 Gripen

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a fourth-generation fighter aircraft.

History

It was created by Saab, a Swedish aerospace company, for use in the Swedish Air Force. The decision for a new aircraft system was made by the Minister of Defence, Torsten Gustafsson. It was approved by Parliament in 1982.

Usage

The Gripen is one of the first multi-role combat aircraft that can be used for fighter, attack and reconnaissance missions as well as switching between them during flight, hence the name of the JAS 39. ‘J’ stands for the initial of the Swedish language word for "Hunting", meaning attack against air targets, "attack" to attack ground and sea targets, and ‘S’ stands for the Swedish word for "reconnaissance", to take photos and films. The name Gripen is the result of a contest held in the early 1980s, and means ‘griffin’.

Saab JAS-39 Gripen
Saab JAS 39 Gripen

The Gripen aircraft fighter system has for years been the backbone in the Swedish air force. Recently the Swedish government decided to acquire the latest version of the system, Gripen E, and Saab signed an agreement with the Swedish Defence Material Administration about development and modification of Gripen E.

Images for kids

  • Flares (5598703900)

    Czech Gripen deploying defensive flares, 2011

  • Saab JAS-39 of the Swedish Air Force undergoing inflight refuelling from a TP 84 Hercules (6803019594)

    A Swedish Air Force Gripen undergoing in-flight refuelling

  • Saab JAS-39C Gripen, Sweden - Air Force AN2279593

    Underside of a Gripen in flight, 2012

  • Saab JAS-39C Gripen MFD at ADAS 2018

    JAS-39C Gripen cockpit

  • Saab Gripen NG cabina

    Cockpit of Brazilian Gripen NG with Wide Area Display

  • Klargoring av JAS 39 Gripen pa F17, Kallinge Sverige (4)

    A technician inspecting a Gripen's RM12 engine in-situ

  • Gripen taking off from road runway

    Gripen taking off from a road runway, that were part of the Bas 90 system.

  • Gripen - RIAT 2010 (5737186379)

    JAS 39B Gripen in flight

  • 1025448 A Swedish JAS-39 Gripen returns to the play areas of the Arctic Challenge exercise Sept. 24, 2013

    A Swedish Gripen during an exercise, 2013

  • Air-to-air with a Czech Saab Gripen with AFB Čáslav in the background

    Czech Gripen with Čáslav AFB in the background

  • Czech JAS-39 Gripen over the Curonian Spit in 2012

    Pair of Czech Gripens during a Baltic Air Policing mission in Lithuania

  • Hungarian Air Force Saab JAS-39C Gripen Lofting-2

    Hungarian Air Force Gripen during inverted flight, 2007. Note the painted false canopy

  • SAAF-Gripen-001

    A South African Air Force JAS 39C Gripen in flight

  • RTAF Jas 39 Gripen

    Royal Thai Air Force Gripen

  • Gripen - RIAT 2008 (2689597919)

    An ETPS Gripen at RIAT 2008

  • Brazilian Gripen F-39E (cropped)

    Brazil's first F-39E Gripen flies over Brasília in October 2020

  • SAAB Gripen ready for take off at Aero India 2011

    Saab Gripen at Aero India 2011, Yelahanka Air Force Base, Bangalore

  • 2006JASGripen3JM

    JAS 39 Gripen taxiing in after display, Farnborough 2006

  • Royal Thai Air Force Jas-39 D

    Royal Thai Air Force JAS-39D, 2016

  • 23 10 2020 Comemoração do Dia do Aviador e da Força Aérea Brasileira (50521157591)

    Brazilian Air Force F-39E, 2020

  • 3 x Saab JAS-39 Gripen of the Czech Air Force in flight (1)

    Three Saab JAS 39C Gripens of the Czech Air Force

  • F 7 Såtenäs 10

    Saab JAS 39 Gripen on display at the Skaraborg Wing.

  • Gripen 5

    Gripen engine nozzle

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Saab 39 Gripen para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Saab JAS 39 Gripen Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.