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4. Gripen vs F-35 — Can Sweden’s Jet Rival America’s Stealth Fighter?

Gripen vs F-35 — Can Sweden’s Jet Rival America’s Stealth Fighter?

	Gripen E Fighter Jet F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet
Price
Our Rating	8.0 8.8
Manufacturer	Saab Lockheed Martin
Category	Fighter Jets Fighter Jets

General Information

Name	JAS 39E Gripen (Gripen E) F-35 Lightning II
Manufacturer	Saab AB Lockheed Martin
Country of Origin	Sweden United States
Type / Role	Multirole Fighter Jet Multirole Stealth Fighter
Generation	4.5 5th
Status	In Production / Active Service In Service
First Flight	June 15, 2017 December 15, 2006
Introduction / In Service Since	2023 2015
Number Built	60+ (Orders in progress) 1,200+ (as of 2025)
Operators	Sweden, Brazil USA, UK, Japan, Israel, Italy, Australia, and others

Dimensions & Structure

Length	15.2 m (49.8 ft) 51.2 ft (15.6 m)
Wingspan	8.6 m (28.2 ft) 35 ft (10.7 m)
Height	4.5 m (14.7 ft) 14.4 ft (4.38 m)
Wing Area	30 m² 460 sq ft (42.7 m²)
Empty Weight	8,000 kg 29,300 lb (13,300 kg)
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW)	16,500 kg 70,000 lb (31,800 kg)
Internal Weapons Bay	None 2 (up to 5,700 lb payload)
External Hardpoints	10 6–10 (up to 18,000 lb total)

Performance

Maximum Speed	Mach 2.0 Mach 1.6
Range	1,600 km 1,380 mi (2,220 km)
Combat Radius	800 km ~670 mi (1,080 km)
Service Ceiling	50,000 ft (15,240 m) 50,000 ft (15,240 m)
Rate of Climb	15,000 m/min 45,000 ft/min
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio	0.97 0.87
G Limits	+9 / -3 +9

Powerplant

Engine Type	GE F414G afterburning turbofan Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100
No. of Engines	1 1
Thrust (each)	22,000 lbf (98 kN) 43,000 lbf
Thrust Vectoring	No Yes (on F-35B variant)
Fuel Capacity	3,400 kg (internal) ~18,500 lb internal

Armament

Gun	27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon GAU-22/A 25mm cannon (F-35A)
Missiles (Air-to-Air)	Meteor, IRIS-T, AIM-9, AIM-120 AMRAAM AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X
Missiles (Air-to-Ground)	RBS-15, AGM-65 Maverick AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM
Bombs	Paveway II/III, JDAM, Mk 82/83/84 JDAM, Paveway II/III, SDB I/II
Hardpoints	10 6 external + 2 internal
Payload Capacity	6,000 kg (13,200 lb) ~18,000 lb

Avionics & Systems

Radar	Selex ES Raven ES-05 AESA AN/APG-81 AESA
Radar Range	160+ km ~150+ km
Electronic Warfare (EW) System	Saab Arexis Integrated EW Suite AN/ASQ-239 suite
Targeting System	IRST + Litening Targeting Pod EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System)
Helmet Display	Targo II HMD HMDS Gen III
Navigation	GPS/INS Hybrid GPS/INS with terrain-following
Autopilot / AI Assistance	Yes (Advanced Digital Flight Control) Advanced flight management
Communication	Link 16, Secure Datalink, SATCOM MADL & Link 16 secure data links

Stealth & Technology

Radar Cross Section (RCS)	Reduced, non-stealth (~1 m² class) ~0.001 m²
Stealth Features	Radar-absorbent materials and design RAM coating, internal weapons bay, edge alignment
Infrared Signature Reduction	Yes Yes
Sensor Fusion	Full 360° sensor fusion system Full 360° data integration
Networking Capabilities	Network-Centric Warfare, Link 16, SwAF Data Link Distributed data-sharing with allied units

Variants

Special Export Versions

Brazilian Gripen F with local avionics F-35I (Israel), F-35A (Japan), etc.

Operational History

Major Conflicts / Deployments	None (peace-time operational) Middle East operations (Iraq, Syria)
Notable Operators	Sweden, Brazil USAF, USN, USMC, RAF, IDF
Combat Proven?	Not yet Yes
Mission Types	Air Superiority, Strike, Reconnaissance, Maritime Patrol Air superiority, strike, SEAD, ISR

Cost & Program

Unit Cost	$85 million (approximate) $80–100 million (variant-dependent)
Development Cost	$2+ billion ~$400 billion (program total)
Program Name	Gripen E/F Program Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)
Funding Countries	Sweden, Brazil USA, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, etc.

Additional Information

Upgrades Planned	Enhanced EW, AI-assisted avionics, new weapon integration Block 4, Tech Refresh 3
Future Replacement	Swedish next-generation stealth fighter (FCAS concept) NGAD (2035+)
Export Restrictions	Moderate U.S. FMS approval required
Notable Achievements	Lowest operational cost in 4.5-gen class Widest global fighter program in history
Competitors	Dassault Rafale, F-16V, Tejas Mk1A, JAS 39C/D Su-57, J-20, Tempest, KF-21

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