Hi,
That was the proposal that paf made when it flight tested all the parameters of the Gripen. It is incorrect that Gripen was rejected---. If such was the case---Paf would not have been given access to the Gripen---and that was for awhile that pakistani pilots looked at the aircraft.
But paf's interest was not in the Gripen---they wanted to build their own Gripen---and just wanted access to the aircraft---.
Between the JF17 BLK2 and Gripen C----there is hardly any difference---.
I whould wait and see when the BLK 3 comes out and then compare it to the Gripen E---.
But there is no doubt that the Gripen E is going to be a very potent aircraft---.
Fact remains that Musharraf wanted to discuss the purchase of 40 Gripen with the Swedish Government...
SAAB might have been interested and allowed Pakistani pilots to fly,
but it is the Swedish Government that makes the final decision.
When comparing the aircrafts, what would be the result of a long time conflict between two air forces,
spending 5B$ on JF-17 or Gripen? The air force choosing JF-17 will initially have more planes.
The Meteor missile and superior radar range would for starters establish a healthy kill ratio for Gripen.
In dogfights, the Gripen looks like it can outturn the JF-17 without problems.
One of the key factors allowing Swedish Pilots to win in Top Gun is the Man Machine Interface,
which they claim is the best in the world, allowing them to concentrate on fighting,
instead of on flying, so JF-17 pilots are likely to run into information overload way before Gripen pilots.
This includes the superior datalink between Gripen aircrafts, allowing one aircraft to act like an AWACS
for other Gripen which runs without activated radar.
While the air force getting JF-17 will be able to get more aircraft, the fast turnaround time of the Gripen
will allow a higher percentage of the fleet to be up in the air,at any given time.
Over time, the limited number of flight hours of the JF-17 cause attrition, reducing the theoretical numerical superiority.