Fast nu var det ju Kina och DeepSeek säger följande i ämnet:
Okay, I need to figure out whether the SAAB JAS 39 Gripen is considered a stealth aircraft by any standard. Let me start by recalling what makes a plane stealthy. Stealth technology usually involves design features that reduce radar cross-section (RCS), infrared signature, and other detectable emissions. Known stealth planes like the F-22 Raptor or F-35 Lightning II have specific design elements: angled surfaces, internal weapons bays, radar-absorbent materials, and so on.
Now, the JAS 39 Gripen is a Swedish multirole fighter. I know it's smaller than some other fighters, which might help with RCS, but is that enough? Let me think about the design. The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration. The canards might increase radar visibility because they're additional surfaces. Stealth aircraft typically avoid such protruding elements or integrate them into the overall shape to deflect radar waves.
What about the materials? I remember reading that the Gripen uses some composite materials which could lower its RCS compared to older planes, but does it use radar-absorbent materials (RAM) extensively? I'm not sure. Maybe some parts, but probably not to the extent of dedicated stealth fighters.
Weapons carriage is another factor. Stealth planes usually carry weapons internally to avoid increasing RCS. The Gripen, however, has external hardpoints for weapons and fuel tanks. Even if it's designed with some stealth in mind, external stores would significantly increase its radar signature. There might be semi-recessed mounts or plans for internal bays in future versions, but the current operational models don't have that.
Avionics and electronic warfare capabilities could contribute to stealth. The Gripen has advanced ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) and might use tactics to reduce detection, but that's not the same as being stealthy by design.
Comparing to other aircraft, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale are 4.5 gen fighters with some stealth features but aren't classified as stealth. The Gripen is in the same category. Maybe Saab has incorporated some RCS-reducing measures, but not to the level of 5th gen fighters.
So, putting this all together: The Gripen has some features that lower its RCS compared to non-stealth planes, like composites and a smaller size, but lacks key stealth elements like internal weapons storage, full shaping for radar deflection, and extensive RAM. Therefore, it's not a stealth aircraft by current standards but might have lower observability than older fighters.