First Gripen flight with full-colour cockpit displays

The SAAB-BAE SYSTEMS Gripen new-generation swing-role fighter has successfully completed its first flights fitted with full colour cockpit displays and a digital emergency instrument presentation.

Gripen is the first fighter aircraft to replace the traditional analogue emergency flight instrumentation with digital images, which are incorporated into the large, full-colour multi-function display system.

The advanced cockpit layout provides a human-machine interface that substantially eases pilot workload, increases situational awareness and provides substantial future growth potential.

It is dominated by three large 15.7 x 21 cm (6 x 8 inch) active-matrix, liquid crystal, multi-function displays and a wide angle (20 x 28 degree) head-up-display. Operating at all altitudes, the displays are equipped with light sensors for computer assisted brightness and contrast control.

The Gripen cockpit provides a display area some 30 per cent larger than that available in most other fighters, with the multi-function displays taking up around 75 per cent of available space.

Proving flights for the new displays were conducted by Gripen test pilot Frederik Mulcher, who will be sharing display flying duties at Le Bourget this year. Frederik commented, "Increasing volumes of data from both on and off-board sensors presents a pilot with increasing amounts of information which must be quickly understood and utilised to ensure success in combat.

"Use of large, full-colour displays significantly helps pilots to manage the information-flow and makes it easier to absorb and understand the mission-critical data."

The digital emergency instrument presentation is unique to Gripen. Such is the reliability and accuracy of today' digital systems that all conventional back-up instruments are now able to be removed.

Proving flights to validate the new emergency instrument displays is a major task for the Gripen test pilot team. "The systems must be tested to ensure they all work, all the time," commented Muchler.

As technology advances, further enhancements to the Gripen cockpit and human-machine-interface will be introduced. This will include a superior ground-collision avoidance system with automatic fly-up, three-dimensional audio information and direct voice input for control of navigation, radio and radar plus fuel and weapon status inquiries, among others.

A direct voice input capability already exists within the existing Gripen audio management system.

Gripen is in service with the Swedish Air Force which has ordered 204 aircraft (including 28 two-seaters) and has been ordered by the South African Air Force which has a requirement for 28.

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