The aircraft that emerged was a single-engine, single-seat, canard design powered by a Volvo-Flygmotor RM12—a derivative of the F/A-18’s General Electric F404-GE-400. It’s a myth that Sweden developed the Gripen entirely on its own, a lot of the technologies like the engine, were outsourced to keep costs down. (Indeed, the use of British components scuttled a potential deal with Argentina) While complex high-end jet fighters like the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon dominate the headlines when it comes to the global fighter market, not every country needs or even wants a top-of-the-line warplane. While some nations—particularly those that have poor relations with the West—might opt for Russian or Chinese-built machines, there is a sizeable.
eBay