In more than 100 years of technological evolution, the cockpits of fighter jets have gained functions that go beyond just commanding these aircraft in maneuvers in the sky.
The cockpit of a combat aircraft is a very confined space, and to some it may even seem claustrophobic. But in the context of a state-of-the-art fighter like the F-39 Gripen, the cockpit is a central and highly complex environment due to the number of elements it concentrates in a small place, allowing simultaneous tasks to be carried out in high-risk operational scenarios or flying under adverse weather conditions. These elements include both those items aimed at maintaining the pilot’s life and those that will provide the flight and management of tactical systems.
First and foremost, the cockpit of a fighter jet must accommodate as comfortably as possible, within the confines of that restricted space, a pilot who may spend up to long hours seated during the fulfillment of his mission. Depending on the characteristics of that flight and the needs of its operator, it is possible that the take-off will take place during the day and end in the early hours of the next morning, on a long mission that includes in-flight refueling.
The pilot is buckled into the ejection seat, which is designed to remove him from the plane in less than a second during an emergency situation. The rescue system does not recline and, given the dimensions of the fighter jet’s cockpit, it is much less comfortable than commercial aircraft seats.
Still focused on the pilot, the cockpit must guarantee the ideal temperature in extremely cold or hot climates and protect the entire internal environment from chemical, radiological, bacteriological and nuclear agents depending on where the aircraft is operating.
After ensuring the vital elements for the pilot, it’s time for the operational part of the fighter.
Depending on the environment, the pilot may have access to dozens of pieces of information about the tactical situation around him, captured by a variety of systems. The position of friendly and enemy forces comes in via datalink, radar, the Infra Red Search and Track (IRST) sensor, and even electronic warfare sensors. The navigation system monitors precise compliance with the route established during mission planning, while the secure communication channels ensure permanent contact with allied forces.
In addition to the information on the tactical board, there is also information on the flight, such as direction, altitude, speed, fuel level and engine temperature, among other essentials for the fighter’s operation.
In the Gripen, all this data is presented clearly and objectively via an intelligent interface at the moment the pilot needs to receive it, since too much information can hinder decision-making.
The F-39 Gripen’s displays
Despite the complexity of its systems, the Gripen cockpit is surprisingly clean and completely digital, with no analog instruments.
When Brazil joined the Gripen E/F development program alongside Sweden, it requested the use of the Wide Area Display (WAD) on the instrument panel, a large, color, touch-sensitive panoramic display measuring 48x20cm, which shows the information desired by the pilot at the moment he requests it.
As a failure-resistant component, the Gripen is one of the first fighters in the world to use this technology and its development, as well as the Gripen’s other two main displays, the Head-Up Display (HUD) and the Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD), were developed by the Brazilian company AEL Sistemas.
Based in Porto Alegre and part of Saab’s global supply chain, AEL Sistemas has brought together all its experience, resulting in state-of-the-art avionics.
Installed on the instrument panel is the HUD, a transparent screen that displays flight information such as course, altitude, speed, route, flight frequencies, as well as tactical information such as targets, sights, weapons selection and more. For the fighter pilot, the HUD is essential so that he remains situationally aware even when looking outside the plane.
Complementing this triad is the helmet with the sight mounted. Known as the HMD or Targo™, this is a repetition of the HUD information displayed on the helmet visor, with the advantage that the pilot, with his gaze, can aim at a target and fire his missile at it without having to change the fighter’s course in the direction of the enemy.
If on the one hand the Gripen concentrates dozens of complex, state-of-the-art systems, automation and the extensive use of computing mean that the pilot can concentrate on managing tactical systems, gaining yet another advantage that proves decisive in any mission.