JAS39A

This page is about the Swedish jet fighter JAS39A. For other versions, see SAAB 39 Gripen (Family).

JAS39A

JA37D

JAS39A

JA37D

Sweden

VIII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
12.7	12.7	12.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:410 000

Purchase:1 100 000

Show in game

Description

The JAS39A Gripen is a Swedish multirole fighter that entered service in 1996 to replace the aging JA37D and AJS37 for the Swedish air force. The JAS39A is developed by SAAB and was designed to carry out tasks such as defending Swedish airspace, engaging with hostile ground targets, and reconnaissance missions.

The JAS39A was introduced in Update "Air Superiority" as top rank jet fighter for Sweden, able to fight toe to toe with MiG-29s and F-16s on more even terms than the preceding JA37D. The JAS39A can be equipped with different types of anti-air missiles for air engagements, but also does come with different bomb loadouts making it able to be used in a ground supporting role, giving it a multirole ability to engage a variety of enemies. The JAS39A handles differently than its predecessor JA37D, but will be more similar to the F-16 that some may be used to.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Max speed

at 11 000 m2 240 km/h

Turn time24 s

Max altitude14 500 m

EngineSvenska Flygmotor RM12

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight60 t

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max speed (km/h at 11,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2,175	2,138	14500	24.1	24.1	207.3	194.7	500
Upgraded	2,306	2,240		23.9	24.0	285.8	245.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	X	X	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1,470	620	-	-	-	~12	~5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 519	< 700	< 1,470	-

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Svenska Flygmotor RM12		1	6,865 kg		307 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)				Max Gross Weight
Weight (each)	Type		9m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	32m fuel
1,054 kg	Afterburning low-bypass turbofan		7,567 kg	8,308 kg	9,032 kg	9,205 kg	13,906 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition	100%	WEP	9m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	32m fuel	MGW
Stationary	5,100 kgf	7,528 kgf	0.99	0.91	0.83	0.82	0.54
Optimal	5,100 kgf (0 km/h)	10,918 kgf (1,250 km/h)	1.44	1.31	1.21	1.19	0.79

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear620 km/h

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 696 → 4 421

RB7 782 → 12 762

SB9 164 → 15 028

Total cost of modifications312 000

480 000

Talisman cost3 200

Crew training310 000

Experts1 100 000

Aces3 600

Research Aces1 350 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

90 / 320 / 500 %

256 / 256 / 256 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 9 000 Cost: 14 000 380 New boosters Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 510 Wings repair Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 Engine Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 850	Fuselage repair Research: 9 000 Cost: 14 000 380 Airframe Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 510 Cover Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470	Flares/Chaff Research: 9 000 Cost: 14 000 380 akan_85_belt_pack Research: 9 000 Cost: 14 000 380 RB 74 Research: 9 000 Cost: 14 000 380 m/71 Research: 9 000 Cost: 14 000 380 LITENING II Research: 9 000 Cost: 14 000 380 Flares/Chaff BOL Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 510 RB71 Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 510 Mk82 Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 510 GBU-12 Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 510 G-suit Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 akan_85_new_gun Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 RB 74(M) Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 m/70 Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 GBU-16 Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 470 EFS Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 850 NVD Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 850 RB75 Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 850 GBU-24 Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 850

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)	Lead indicator

Offensive armament

The JAS39A is armed with:

• 1 x 27 mm Akan m/85 cannon, belly-mounted (120 rpg)
• 80 x large calibre countermeasures

Suspended armament

The JAS39A can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
120 kg m/71 bombs		4	4			4	4
277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs		1†	1†			1†	1†
500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs		2	2			2	2
500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs		2	2			2	2
957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II bombs			1†			1†
1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs		1†	1†			1†	1†
2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bombs			1†			1†
psrak m/70 rockets		6	6			6	6
RB71 missiles		1	1			1	1
RB 74 missiles	1	1*	1*			1*	1*	1
RB 74(M) missiles	1	1*	1*			1*	1*	1
RB 75 missiles		1	1			1	1
Countermeasures		160*	160*			160*	160*
LITENING II targeting pod				1†
1,100 l drop tanks			1		1	1
Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,250 kg
* Countermeasures can be equipped with RB 74 missiles on the same hardpoint † LITENING II pod must be equipped when equipping guided bombs

Default weapon presets

3 x 1,100 l drop tanks 2 x RB 74 missiles 6 x RB 74 missiles 6 x RB 74 missiles + 640 x countermeasures 6 x RB 74(M) missiles 6 x RB 74(M) missiles + 640 x countermeasures 4 x RB71 missiles 640 x countermeasures 24 x psrak m/70 rockets 4 x RB 75 missiles 16 x 120 kg m/71 bombs (1,920 kg total) 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (4,000 lb total) 16 x 120 kg m/71 bombs (1,920 kg total) 8 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (4,000 lb total) 4 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (1,108 kg total) 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total) 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bombs (4,000 lb total)

Usage in battles

Gripens needs to be played in one way which is very different from all the other top-tier jets. The JAS39A has an underwhelming radar-guided missile out of all its opponents, meaning it will not play ever in BVR engagements, since it will always end up loosing. Instead, the Gripen shines in the furballs, where the chaos prevents anyone from being totally aware of its surroundings. There, it can use its two best assets: the RB 74(M) (a Swedish Version of the AIM-9M ) and the nearly-unlimited flares loadout the plane can carry. When approaching the danger zone, activate the automatic countermeasure release, set to cycle 1 sec with 0.5 sec between each release and 2 releases per cycle. You have about 4:30 minutes of pure adrenaline before you run out of flares (using flares and chaff should half the time, but sticking to the deck makes radar-guided missiles easily dodgeable). Now the player can pay less (not none) attention to their surroundings and focus on launching the RB 74(M) missiles. Do not focus too much on one target, lock on with radar so the missile won't go for the flares during the lock-on phase and prefer targets that are showing you their side: this way even if they flare the missile will be less likely to notice the flares at all. The Gripen is also a good dogfighter, use the air brake until you get into the 700-850 km/h, that way you will pull like a monster.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• High speed; good acceleration gets you back in the fight after losing speed in turns or climbs
• Extreme manoeuvrability - currently possibly the most agile fighter in the game, outturns even F-16s!
• High amount of countermeasures available; a total of 720 when carrying four BOL rails on the wings
• Well balanced loadouts available, ranging from dumb bombs and rockets to F&F AGMs and laser guided bombs
• Helmet mounted sight lets the pilot slew both IR missile seekers as well as the radar onto off-bore targets
• Access to very competitive RB74(M) missiles which are highly resistant to flares

Cons:

• Prone to tear off wings at high speed; its high agility may result in over-G breaking the plane apart with reckless manoeuvring
• Mediocre radar missiles; very short range compared to the AIM-7Ms and R-27ERs carried by contemporaries
• Low ammo count for a relatively rapid firing cannon
• Canard-delta design combined with its tiny size means that any hit is likely to cause critical damage to your flight surfaces

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Videos

The Shooting Range #390 - Metal Beasts section at 00:25 discusses the JAS39A.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.

Sweden jet aircraft
Fighters	J21RA
	J29A · A29B · J29D · J29F
	J32B
	J34
	J35A · J35D
	JA37C · JA37D
	JAS39A
Strike aircraft	A21RB
	A32A · A32A Röd Adam
	A28B
	AJ37 · AJS37
	SK60B · SAAB-105G
Export	SAAB-105OE
Finland	▄Vampire FB 52A · ▄MiG-21bis · Saab J35XS