SAAB's new Electronic Attack Jammer Pod takes flight

SAAB has successfully carried out the first flight tests with its Electronic Attack Jammer Pod (EAJP), marking an important milestone in the system's development.

The flights were performed by SAAB JAS-39D Gripen 39822, operated by the Swedish Air Force's F 21 Norrbottens flygflottilj (Norrbotten's flying fleet) from Luleå, on November 4. During testing, the company interfaced the EAJP with the Gripen's hardware, software, cockpit control and monitoring systems.

SAAB JAS-39D Gripen [SAAB]
SAAB JAS-39D Gripen 39822 in flight with the EAJP equipped on an under-wing hardpoint. SAAB

The Swedish-company's EAJP is being developed to protect aircraft equipped with the pod against radars by using sophisticated jamming functions, thus hindering potential attacks from adversary forces. The EAJP is part of SAAB's drive to provide electronic attack capabilities to its new Gripen E/F multi-role fighter. This is not the sole carrier of the pod though as it can also be integrated onto other aircraft types. 

The EAJP joins SAAB's Arexis family of electronic warfare systems which can be deployed in a defensive or offensive role. When employed defensively for aircraft self-protection, these systems detect enemy radar systems and missiles and deploy active and/or passive countermeasures to protect the aircraft from hostile engagements. In an offensive situation, these systems operate in a more electronic attack role, actively disrupting hostile air defence systems by sending jamming signals to the sensors belonging to them and thus eliminating any threat to the aircraft.

Follow the hyperlink to read a related article on the future of the Swedish Air Force, which was featured in the October issue of AFM.