This is instalment two of the HX FRP scenarios. It is a deep strike/OCA/interdiction mission into Neva and Tver. You can read the basic info from the link before. Also, SAAB’s bid had two SAAB’s “mini awacs” type of planes. The Global Eye (you can read more wikipedia HERE) is indeed a gamechanger for Finnish Airforce that has relied on command centers in deep rock and ground based radars. Also SAAB brings into the table the AREXIS-jamming pod. In truth jamming pods are not really anything new, (And can be taken aboard in any HX candidates in all probability)
The Global Eye will indeed be a big factor in defensive and offensive counter air, but in this kind of deep strike/interdiction the value is less, but not insignificant.
GlobalEye 1 Hugin, will take off with fighter escort (two fourships) prior to the raid for AWACS/EW capabilities. Protection elements fly behind and before Hugin out 100km and 50 km east at 15km height.
- AWACS/EW patrol (Staying in Finland, approximately 150km from border @ 7km) From KAUHAVA AFB
- HUGIN GlobalEye AWACS/EW
- CAP N 4xGripen E with 2x 450 Gal droptanks, 6x METEOR, 2x IRIS-T,
- CAP S 4xGripen E with 2x 450 Gal droptanks, 6x METEOR, 2x IRIS-T,
Strike packages will be as follows:
- Strike package west St. Petersburg (From Kymi about 200km out, low-low-low, Gripen E )
- Strike lead: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-121, AREXIS (tunnel)
- NO 2: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109 ( N ring way west bridge)
- NO 3: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109, AREXIS (N ring way east Bridge)
- NO 4: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109 (Highway bridge)
- Strike package middle St Petersburg
- Strike lead 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109, AREXIS (Blagoveshchenskiy)
- NO 2: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109 (Dvortsovyy)
- NO 3: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109, AREXIS (Trotskiy)
- NO 4: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109 (Litenyy and Tulskaja)
- Strike Package south St Petersburg
- Strike lead 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109, AREXIS (Litenyy)
- NO 2: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109, (Aleksandra Nevskogo)
- NO 3: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR , Litening G III, 2X JDAM BLU-109 2xJDAM BLU-117, AREXIS (Railway bridge)
- NO 4: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR, 4X JDAM BLU-117 (Railway bridge)
- Strike package Neva
- Strike lead 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109, AREXIS (Narodnaja)
- NO 2: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 4X JDAM BLU-109 (KAD)
- NO 3: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 2X JDAM BLU-109, 2x JDAM BLU-117, AREXIS (KAD and Kuzminka RW)
- NO 4: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR , Litening G III , 4X Paveway BLU-109 (M-18)
- Strike package Svir (Onttola, med-low-med 350km out Gripen E )
- Strike lead 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR , Litening G III, 2X JDAM BLU-109 2X Paveway BLU-109 (M-18 and Railway bridge)
- NO 2: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR , 4X JDAM BLU-109, AREXIS
- NO 3: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 2X JDAM BLU-111
- NO 4: 2x IRIS-T, 4x METEOR 2X JDAM BLU-109, AREXIS
- Combat air patrol north 1 (Rovaniemi hi-hi-hi) (Gripen E)
- CAP lead 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 2, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 3, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 4, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- Combat air patrol east 1 (Kuopio, hi-hi-hi)
- CAP lead 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 2, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 3, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 4, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- Combat air patrol east 2 (Kuopio, hi-hi-hi)
- CAP lead 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 2, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 3, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 4, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- Combat air patrol south 1 (Vantaa, hi-hi-hi)
- CAP lead 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 2, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 3, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- NO 4, 2xIRIS-T, 8xMETEOR, 2×290 Gal tank
- Wild Weasel South lo-lo-lo from Vantaa (Gripen F+E)
- Wild Weasel lead 2xIRIS-T, 4xMETEOR, 8xSPEAR EW, AREXIS-EAJP, 290 gal tank
- NO 2 2xIRIS-T, 4xMETEOR, 8xSPEAR EW, AREXIS, 290 gal tank
- NO 3 2xIRIS-T, 4xMETEOR, 8xSPEAR EW, AREXIS-EAJP, 290 gal tank
- NO 4 2xIRIS-T, 4xMETEOR, 8xSPEAR EW, RecceLite, 290 gal tank
- Wild Weasel North (lo-lo-lo) from Kajaani
- Wild Weasel Middle 1 (lo-lo-lo) from Kuopio
- Wild Weasel Middle 2 (lo-lo-lo) from Kuopio
Notes. I do not know if SPEAR EW will be part of HX offering, but it would seem as a logical choise because MBDA is the European weapon provider. I’m not privy to any information about the HX program, but relatively light SPEAR 3 EW would fill the bill for SEAD/DEAD weapon for Gripen as well. In so far as the four position launch rails can be integrated to space available.
Conclusion: Global Eye gives FAF opportunity of going about the OCA and CAP taskings with less four ships. The Finns can keep up with the developing situation with enemy fighter movements and plan and execute countermoves much better than with land based radar support. This is the force multiplier in action here. On the other hand, compared to capabilities of dedicated SEAD/DEAD platform of F/A-18 G Growler more emphasis is needed on SEAD mission. Platform in itself, preferably Gripen F with AREXIS pods and kinetic weapons (in this example SPEAR 3 EW), is at least “good enough” but it is not a dedicated platform. One part of this formula is plain ole physics: AREXIS-pod and, its newest installment Electronic Attack Jammer Pod, with approx 5 kW of sending power, is not as powerful as current AN/ALQ-99 pods with 7,5 kW of sending power. This is more evident in extreme ranges, but is never the less a factor in SEAD missions. Also IMHO the backseater is really needed to efficiently pursue a SEAD mission. SAAB has come around in this from 2016 onward. EAJP brings Gripen E ability to jam long wavelength search radars in S-300/400 family. In essence EAJP pod is collection of sizable AESA elements (and most likely diagnostics) that are then married to Gripen E’s self protection or EW system. It can also be bolted to Global Eye platform. but still I expect the Gripen E/F to be a bit weaker in SEAD/DEAD regimen as dedicated F/A-18 Growler. And I do not know by a long stretch HOW much difference there is, but hey, I’m doing best guesstimate work I can.
As strike ranges in this scenario are quite limited (<450km) Gripen E has plenty of combat radius to do strikes in Svir river area. (Even though the loads are pretty much at max 4x BLU 109 is around 4000kg, with 4X METEOR about 800 kg, and two IRIS-T for about 200kg, so approx 5000 kg out of 6000 kg). If strikes were to be done further afield, the bomb carrying hard points (heavy/wet) would be needed for drop tanks, which would cut into the bomb carrying capability of the flights. Here it is not a factor.
In CAP capability Gripen gets up good load of METEORS and IRIS-T with two drop tanks, so Gripen is very much capable of going into offence. that coupled with GlobalEye is a formidable combination for DCA and OCA missions. As four missiles are good enough for self defence, but six or more is deemed enough for offensive operations, Gripen can fill the bill for offensive operations just fine, with endurance to stay in CAP for goodly times.
Again this kind of strike might not be too feasible, because it would tie up most of the available air assets of FAF. (60 out of 64) But as basis of scenario it will do very well. In the end after the initial rush, bomb droppers would have to do douple time as missile shooters as well to allow the CAP elements to return from the indian country.
Epämuodikkaita ajatuksia 
-Arexis is a product family, only jammer-pods have been reveiled so far
-Jammer pod is self-powered, your 5 kW guess could be way off
-BLU-109 is unlikely weapon choise due to very short range
Hi there,
-AREXIS is indeed a product family that has been designed to integrate into JAS Gripen self protection suite. In fact there are two different jammer models low (about 0,8-2, specification is not available) GHz and high band jammer (around 10 GHz) 1st deal with search radars and 2nd to firecontrol radars.
-As far as I am aware (have have seen the mockup, haven’t seen the real thing) there is NO EXTERNAL POWER to Arexis (like in AN/ALQ pods) so it will be limited to what ever the fighter will provide. Due to voltage and ampere limitations/spesifications the 5 KW is about the upper limit where the power can go. I wrote about this when arexis was released. And hve so far not read or heard anything to necessiate a rewriting
– BLU-109 is about the only ordnance available IF you want to go after bridges or tunnels. Range is indeed short. (But again, I do not own a weaponeering manual so I cannot be absolutely sure)
Click to access EW-jun-jul-18.pdf
“…self-contained power generation in the pods. ”
What comes to air-to-ground mission, check current and future MBDA and Rafael inventories and re-think.
Hi there,
SPICE and HAMMER will be there don’t worry! Didi you read this https://epamuodikkaitaajatuksia.com/2019/08/04/hx-fighter-scenario-2-deep-strike-into-karelia/ ? This was sort of thinkthrough post for Neva Tver attack.
And thanks of the link to EW mag!