Product Review

It is widely known that the F-35 is the worst fighter aircraft for a very long time. In fact it is beaten in mock combat by aircraft that first flew 40 years ago. Despite its extortionate cost and manifest deficiencies, the F-35 is still being built. Part of the reason for that is a perception that there is nothing to replace it with. In fact there is a far more cost-effective fighter available – the Gripen E from Saab in Sweden. The Gripen E could and should be made in the United States to fill the gaping hole in our force structure that has been created by the failure of the F-35. This book describes the background to the F-35 and how it was derived from a Russian design, the YAK-141. It also details what makes a good fighter aircraft in the 21st century, the economics of fire support and how a matchup would go against our most formidable potential opponent – China. American Gripen is full of facts and never boring.