MOSCOW, February 9 - RIA News
The statement by the Swedish Air Force commander Mats Helgesson about the ability of the Saab Gripen E fighter to defeat the Russian Su in an air battle is boasting and stupidity, said Igor Korotchenko, a member of the Public Council under the Russian Defense Ministry, chief editor of the National Defense magazine.
According to the Business Insider portal , the Saab Gripen E fighter, which Helgesson spoke so flatteringly, "cannot boast maximum combat load, low visibility or long range," but he "has an exceptional feature that makes it a nightmare for Russian aircraft." This is a very effective onboard electronic warfare systems, allowing the Saab Gripen E to remain invisible to the enemy.
“This is a boastful and stupid statement, if only for the reason that Gripen belongs to the class of light fighters in dimensionality - conditionally speaking, the MiG-29 and MiG-35. And, say, the Su-30SM and Su-35 are heavy fighters. The tactical-technical parameters of the aircraft and the professional skill of the pilot are important in a real air combat. Much depends on the specific conditions, pilot training, readiness to act in various air combat modes. Therefore, no one will initially make any boastful statements, "Korotchenko told RIA Novosti.
The expert added that such statements indicate the inferiority complex of the Swedish Air Force.
