As part of a larger weather test campaign, Saab flew Gripen E to northern Sweden this winter and conducted several tests. It all went fine and it proves that harsh weather is no match for Gripen E.

The purpose of the tests at Vidsel air base was to see how Gripen E operates in this type of climate with regard to maintenance, normal start-ups, flights, landings and braking on a naturally snow and ice-covered landing strip (Picture source: Saab)

The purpose of the tests was to test how Gripen E operates in this type of climate with regard to maintenance, normal start ups, flights, landings and braking on a naturally snow and ice covered landing strip.

"The weather and the conditions was on our side and we were able to perform several normal start ups and flights in temperatures spanning from -20 to -26 degrees. The result was above expectations and we got a lot of really valuable data to review", says Katarina Milososka, test aircraft coordinator, Saab Aeronautics and responsible for the campaign in Vidsel.

The cold weather test is a part of a larger weather test campaign for Gripen E, called World Wide Climate campaign. Up next is hot climate tests in Sweden followed by hot and humid tests in Brazil.