Supersonic Flight, Without Use Of Afterburner

There's a new fighter in the exclusive "supercruise" club. On a test flight this week, the Gripen Demo aircraft proved its ability to fly supersonic without the use of afterburner... joining the F-22 Raptor and Eurofighter Typhoon as the only current fighter aircraft with that capability.

Last fall, the Gripen Demo performed 40 sorties as part of the development program that focused on opening up the flight envelope regarding speed, altitude, angle-of-attack and loads. This year, the testing has continued at the same high tempo.

The Gripen Demo team says this week's supercruise flight is part of the ongoing high speed supersonic testing that will include supersonic flights, with different load alternatives. Supercruise capability allows much greater fuel efficiency at supersonic speeds, versus use of afterburners.

Saab test pilot Magnus Ljungdahl flew the Gripen Demonstrator aircraft in supercruise. "The flight was conducted over the Baltic Sea, my altitude was 28,000 feet and the speed achieved was above Mach 1.2. Without using afterburner I maintained the same speed until I ran out of test area and had to head back to the Saab Test Flight Centre in Linkoping."

The Gripen Demo aircraft is a flying test platform for the next generation of Gripen and for the further development of the present Gripen C/D aircraft. Saab says that together with a ground-based test rig, the Gripen Demonstrator will develop and prove the essential systems and capabilities for the future, including its more powerful General Electric F414G engine, an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, advanced communications and electronic warfare systems.

Saab is marketing the Gripen as an alternative to other advanced fighters on the market, most notably the US-sourced F-22 and upcoming F-35, and the European Typhoon.

FMI: www.gripen.com