Photo: Saab
Recently, the Hungarian government and the Swedish MOD's Defense Materiel Administration have concluded negotiations for the upgrade of the Hungarian Gripen fleet to the latest version Mission System (MS) 20 Block 2 configuration. This upgrade is set to improve the aircraft's weapon systems and avionics, increasing the fleet's power and reliability.
Hungary has been using Gripen C/D since 2006, becoming the third nation, after Sweden and the Czech Republic, to start operating the fighters. Currently, a total of 14 Gripen aircraft are being operated by the Hungarian Air Force.
Manufactured by Saab, the Gripen is a multi-role fighter capable of carrying a great number of weapons and pods to adapt to any type of mission. Built with short take-off and landing (STOL) capabilities, the fighter can take off and land from highways or roads that are just 2,625 ft (800 meters) long.
Gripen C/D was designed as a versatile aircraft that can be continuously upgraded. The new MS20 Block 2 upgrade brings various improvements that increase its capabilities, allowing it to gain access to a wider range of weapons and improve its performance.
The sensor capabilities are also getting improved, increasing aerial target tracking range. This also allows aircraft to better detect smaller air-to-air targets. Gripen C/D has was designed to be fully interoperable with NATO. Therefore, it uses Link 16, a NATO standardized communications system used by different participants to facilitate coalition operations.
The new MS20 Block 2 upgrade works to improve the Link 16 performance for the Hungarian Gripen fleet and upgrades voice communication to the latest NATO communication standard.
With this upgrade, the fighters' weapon systems will also be enhanced. The air force will equip the Gripens with a wider range of weapons, including the IRIS-T (an infrared short-range, air-to-air type of missile), the GBU-49 (a modern laser-guided bomb), and the Meteor (a next-gen, radar-guided, beyond visual range air-to-air missile system).
Manufactured by Saab, the Gripen is a multi-role fighter capable of carrying a great number of weapons and pods to adapt to any type of mission. Built with short take-off and landing (STOL) capabilities, the fighter can take off and land from highways or roads that are just 2,625 ft (800 meters) long.
Gripen C/D was designed as a versatile aircraft that can be continuously upgraded. The new MS20 Block 2 upgrade brings various improvements that increase its capabilities, allowing it to gain access to a wider range of weapons and improve its performance.
The sensor capabilities are also getting improved, increasing aerial target tracking range. This also allows aircraft to better detect smaller air-to-air targets. Gripen C/D has was designed to be fully interoperable with NATO. Therefore, it uses Link 16, a NATO standardized communications system used by different participants to facilitate coalition operations.
The new MS20 Block 2 upgrade works to improve the Link 16 performance for the Hungarian Gripen fleet and upgrades voice communication to the latest NATO communication standard.
With this upgrade, the fighters' weapon systems will also be enhanced. The air force will equip the Gripens with a wider range of weapons, including the IRIS-T (an infrared short-range, air-to-air type of missile), the GBU-49 (a modern laser-guided bomb), and the Meteor (a next-gen, radar-guided, beyond visual range air-to-air missile system).
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