Defense Technology International - January/February 2008 - (Page 18) DISPATCHES GLOBAL EUROFIGHTER delivering a paper capability to the Marine Corps at the expense of real operational capability for USAF. “How long,” asks one, “are we going to keep up this charade?” But the current flight-test program ensures that, if there are problems, they won’t emerge until late 2008, after Norway and Denmark plan to commit. Look for any recognition of such uncertainty in Scandinavia and you will look in vain. European JSF supporters like Geerdes don’t see any risk that JSF will fail to deliver. For them, money and muscle will carry the day, and the riskier approach is to change to an unfamiliar supplier. For Eurofighter, with customers downplaying JSF risks and setting terms and decision dates that favor the U.S. competitor, the contest started to look less winnable. And with no U.S. With 21 flights by the end of 2007, the F-35A is the favored option for the content and a largely nonair forces in Norway and Denmark. U.S. weapon suite, the fallAmerican”—35% of the airframe, includ- fact that it is in full production for the ing dollar makes Typhoon less competitive against JSF and Gripen. As an equal ing the engine and much of the avion- Super Hornet. Gripen is selecting a partner to devel- second trended to third place, it was time ics, is U.S.-sourced, and a U.S. weapon package could pop the total to 50%. op an AESA for the Gripen demonstra- to pull out, avoid defeat, and refocus sales The message to industry and air force tor. Saab can make an AESA, of course e orts in more promising areas. The losers in this deal will be the taxoperators is that Gripen is a “soft U.S.” (and has under the Nora demonstration solution, maintaining a relationship with program), but the team realizes that af- payers and industry, since Eurofighter’s the U.S. (and incorporating low-priced fordability is all about achieving produc- pull-out is likely to raise the price of the U.S. components), but also building links tion volume for the transmit/receive JSF and reduce the pressure on Gripen to furnish o sets. Paradoxically, the Euacross Europe and putting Norwegian modules that form the antenna. What are the risks in the JSF pro- rofighter pull-out might not help Gripen. and Danish industries in at the ground gram? The U.S. record of delivering new With Typhoon as a contender, the JSF floor of a new program. Each contender brings a di erent lev- combat aircraft on time and on cost, ever team could not a ord to portray their el and kind of risk. The Future Gripen is since the F-16, is as miserable as any oth- rivals as risky and untested. Now, as well new, but Gripen International Managing er program. JSF faces some challenging as focusing on Gripen’s size, JSF marDirector Johan Lehander points to the years, partly because the most di cult keters can depict it as new and risky. If company’s record in delivering the C/ version, the Stovl F-35B, is leading the the Gripen team can pull out a victory, D—itself not a trivial change—on time. test program. Preparations for year-end it will be no mean feat. I “We have not-to-exceed prices” on the Stovl testing will monopolize 2008, and equipment in the new version, he says. no JSF will fly with mission systems un- To watch a video of a Swedish Gripen wing, Also, the changes are modest given the til early 2009, at best. go to DTI’s homepage: AviationWeek.com/dti Some competitors believe that the and click on ‘Extras for this issue’ goal of a 40% increase in internal fuel. The big change is a new main landing schedule is unrealistic, skewed toward under ‘DTI Interactive.’ gear that retracts into underwing bulges, allowing the designers to put fuel tanks in the old wheel wells. The F414 engine has about the same airflow requirement as the C/D’s RM12, obviating the need for a bigger inlet duct and internal redesign. It’s less expensive than the RM12, thanks to years of design-to-cost investment and the LOCKHEED MARTIN Eurofighter and Gripen could deliver another extra for Europe’s customers in o sets. “Industrial participation is a reality,” says a Danish o cial. “And look at our unemployment statistics: we don’t need more jobs, we need better jobs.” But “o set” is not in the JSF vocabulary. “We are not an offset program,” JSF Vice President Tom Burbage reminds an Oslo audience. Rather, the program will continue to seek the bestvalue source “so we can build the large underlying base of U.S. aircraft and keep costs down.” Best value is a tough sell to Norwegian industry, where a beer in a small-town bar costs $12. “There’s no way we can compete on price,” says one Norwegian executive. Gripen’s decision to pitch an improved fighter into the competition opens up more intellectual property opportunities. The team calls the Future Gripen version “part lion, part eagle and part Eurofighter quit its campaigns in Norway and Denmark, convinced that the two nations intend to buy the JSF. 18 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 www.aviationweek.com/dti http://AviationWeek.com/dti http://www.aviationweek.com/dti
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