Forum: Modern Military Aircraft

They are considerably larger than any other jet I can think of, larger than the AAMs that I have seen mounted on them, while other modern jets are always shorter.

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The Gripen is pretty small. You sure it doesn't just look that way?

destroid is right, look at how much shorter the underwing launchers are. Two possible reasons for the oversized launchers - avionic equipment added to the launchers (not very likely) or the added mass and pitch inertia is needed for flutter supression.

johnwill wrote:

Two possible reasons for the oversized launchers - avionic equipment added to the launchers...

Indeed.

Thanks, Cola, for posting the cutaways. I'm a little surprised the equipment is there, as it is in a severe environment (acceleration and briefly thermal). The acceleration is most severe for heavy store ejection from the wing hardpoints and possibly buffet.

The "oversized" portion are for EW ESM units. Nonobstructive.

Thanks. That seeker looks creepily like an eyeball.

@johnwill,
you're right.
Guess that's the price you pay when cramming loads of electronics into a small jet.
Not sure how'd AMRAAM work from the tip (if cleared at all).

Considering AMRAAMs were not a design store for the F-16 wing tip, yet were added later without having to modify the tip area, I'd say there is a good chance they would work fine on a Gripen tip. On the F-16, the weakest link in the load path is the launcher, so it may have been strengthened to carry the AMRAAM, I don't know. It makes good sense to have the launcher the weakest link. If there is to be a structural failure, what to you want to break first, the launcher or the wing tip area? That same philosophy holds for the other F-16 hardpoints - the pylons are weaker than the wing attach point, acting like structural fuses.

The Gripen RWR antenna location reminds me the original F-16 antenna location was on the forward fuselage right behind the radome. Performance was not satisfsctory, so they were moved to the little pods on the outer part of the leading edge flap. I don't know what their nickname was in the services, but at GD they were known as "donkey *icks".

What does that IRIS-T rocket motor do to that frail looking little sensor? Shocked

destroid wrote:

That seeker looks creepily like an eyeball.

What's creepy is when you're working around a jet with 'live' munitions and the eyeball is watching you move about!!

Shocked

TEG

johnwill,
you're right ofc.
But I was more thinking of AMRAAM obstructing RWR's field of view.
Not sure, but I think rail and missile are of similar length, or the missile is even longer.

Don't think that would work too well for Gripen's EW capabilities, although tip antennas seem to be interferometers only.

Quote:

Thanks. That seeker looks creepily like an eyeball.

LOL, that it do.
From my archive.
Those nozzles reminds me of eyes too. Very Happy

-Stop stairing at my @ss!!

Weapon Eyeballs

Hot desert base, weapons troops hanging captive AIM-9E on an A-7 for next day mission.

On A-7, AIM-9 seeker sits slightly below canopy rail right next to cockpit.

Young lady weapons type, down to T-shirt in the heat, gets in the cockpit to put power to the AIM-9 to visually check that the seeker cages.

When AIM-9 is selected, the seeker goes bananas instead of caging, and spins wildly off axis to the point of shattering the glass dome and throwing shards and debris violently about, right below where the lady is sitting. Shocked

She's fortunately unhurt...

I think it was the t-shirt. Very Happy

cola wrote:

@johnwill,
you're right.
Guess that's the price you pay when cramming loads of electronics into a small jet.
Not sure how'd AMRAAM work from the tip (if cleared at all).

Might have changed since I left the air force but if I remember correctly the Gripen could carry AMRAAM's on the tips but to avoid fatigue it was not allowed to carry anything heavier than sidewinders unless under "special circumstances", i.e. some type of warlikeish situation.

Forum: Modern Military Aircraft

Why does the SAAB Gripen have such gigantic wing tip rails?