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[โ€“] 33 points 2 years ago (22 children)

The Gripen uses US-built engines iirc so itโ€™s still a problematic buy for Europeans.

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  • [โ€“] 39 points 2 years ago (9 children)

    it used to have a volvo engine but volvo aero got absorbed into a british conglomerate about 10 years ago.

    point being, we can make the switch again.

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  • [โ€“] 19 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    The EU can (or rather, could) potentially make lots of things, the question is if there is sufficient political will to do it.

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  • [โ€“] 10 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

    The Volvo one was a license built US engine.

    If they want European the choice is the EJ200 that's on the Eurofighter. It's a little less powerful than the US one they're using, probably why they choose the is one. But apparently has room to become more powerful if they take on additional design work.

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  • [โ€“] 6 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Never build an airplane without a powerplant.

    Sincerely, F-14

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  • [โ€“] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)
  • The original variant (A) of the F-14 was a turd because they built the aircraft before the actual intended powerplant was available. The engine it got was underpowered and temperamental and resulted in flameouts.

    There's been several other aircraft that have been designed and built and then had the program scrapped because the engine to match the airframe never actually made it through development and/or certification.

    If you start designing an airplane before you have a proper powerplant selected, it's probably gonna fail.

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  • [โ€“] 5 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    tbf seems like the Americans make some pretty good engines, even Airbus a320neo uses

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_PW1000G United States

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CFM_International_LEAP France/United States

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  • [โ€“] 10 points 2 years ago* (3 children)

    No doubt, the problem has never been with the quality but with the fact that a hostile American regime can refuse to send spare parts. Which is not as troubling with civil aviation but certainly when weโ€™re talking about our own militaries.

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  • [โ€“] 19 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    It's more than the spare parts in this case. The F35 system relies on networking to services located in the US in order to be fully operational, which can be alleviated with choosing Gripen.

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  • [โ€“] 4 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    I was talking about the Gripen regarding spares.

    The F35 doesnโ€™t necessarily has to be operated via systems in the US, only if you donโ€™t buy the proprietary terminals to program its flight-Mission systems. Israel for example has bought the entire package including terminals and they are able to operate the jets without US involvements. EU countries however of course chose the cheap option without terminals.

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  • [โ€“] 4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Well, the F35 uses European engines, so there's that.

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  • [+] 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago)
    [โ€“] 2 points 2 years ago

    Wonderful, now Switzerland should follow suit.

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  • [โ€“] 1 point 2 years ago

    Yes!!!!!!!!

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