The Gripen is a multirole fighter aircraft, intended as a lightweight and agile aerial platform with advanced, highly adaptable avionics.
It has canard control surfaces that contribute a positive lift force at all speeds, while the generous lift from the delta wing compensates for the rear stabiliser producing negative lift at high speeds, increasing induced drag.
 Being intentionally unstable and employing digital fly-by-wire flight controls to maintain stability removes many flight restrictions, improves manoeuvrability, and reduces drag.
The Gripen also has good short takeoff performance, being able to maintain a high sink rate and strengthened to withstand the stresses of short landings.
 A pair of air brakes are located on the sides of the rear fuselage; the canards also angle downward to act as air brakes and decrease landing distance.
It is capable of flying at a 70–80 degrees angle of attack.

To enable the Gripen to have a long service life, roughly 50 years, Saab designed it to have low maintenance requirements.
Major systems such as the RM12 engine and PS-05/A radar are modular to reduce operating cost and increase reliability.
 The Gripen was designed to be flexible, so that newly developed sensors, computers, and armaments could be integrated as technology advances.
 The aircraft was estimated to be roughly 67% sourced from Swedish or European suppliers and 33% from the US.

One key aspect of the Gripen program that Saab have been keen to emphasise has been technology-transfer agreements and industrial partnerships with export customers.
The Gripen is typically customised to customer requirements, enabling the routine inclusion of local suppliers in the manufacturing and support processes.
A number of South African firms provide components and systems – including the communications suite and electronic warfare systems – for the Gripens operated by South African Air Force.
Operators also have access to the Gripen's source code and technical documentation, allowing for upgrades and new equipment to be independently integrated.
 Some export customers intend to domestically assemble the Gripen; it has been proposed that Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer may produce Gripens for other export customers as well.
The Gripen is a multirole fighter aircraft, intended as a lightweight and agile aerial platform with advanced, highly adaptable avionics. It has canard control surfaces that contribute a positive lift force at all speeds, while the generous lift from the delta wing compensates for the rear stabiliser producing negative lift at high speeds, increasing induced drag.  Being intentionally unstable and employing digital fly-by-wire flight controls to maintain stability removes many flight restrictions, improves manoeuvrability, and reduces drag. The Gripen also has good short takeoff performance, being able to maintain a high sink rate and strengthened to withstand the stresses of short landings.  A pair of air brakes are located on the sides of the rear fuselage; the canards also angle downward to act as air brakes and decrease landing distance. It is capable of flying at a 70–80 degrees angle of attack.
To enable the Gripen to have a long service life, roughly 50 years, Saab designed it to have low maintenance requirements. Major systems such as the RM12 engine and PS-05/A radar are modular to reduce operating cost and increase reliability.  The Gripen was designed to be flexible, so that newly developed sensors, computers, and armaments could be integrated as technology advances.  The aircraft was estimated to be roughly 67% sourced from Swedish or European suppliers and 33% from the US.
One key aspect of the Gripen program that Saab have been keen to emphasise has been technology-transfer agreements and industrial partnerships with export customers. The Gripen is typically customised to customer requirements, enabling the routine inclusion of local suppliers in the manufacturing and support processes. A number of South African firms provide components and systems – including the communications suite and electronic warfare systems – for the Gripens operated by South African Air Force. Operators also have access to the Gripen's source code and technical documentation, allowing for upgrades and new equipment to be independently integrated.  Some export customers intend to domestically assemble the Gripen; it has been proposed that Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer may produce Gripens for other export customers as well.
Saab JAS 39 Gripen