Saab has conducted its first flight test of the Gripen E fighter plane from the company's airfield at Linkoping in Sweden.

The flight test lasted 40 minutes and covered functions such as basic avionics and retracting and extending the landing gear, among other functions. The plane flown was the first of three pre-production planes authorized by the Swedish government.

The Gripen E was first revealed in a ceremony last year, and is expected to start service with the Swedish Air Force in 2019.

The Gripen E "Smart Fighter" is a multi-role fighter aircraft capable of air-to-air, air-to-surface and reconnaissance missions. It has a maximum speed of Mach 2 and possesses supercruise capability, allowing it to exceed Mach 1 without using its afterburners and extending its range.

It is fitted with 10 hardpoints for weapons and sensor pods, and can be adapted to carry most weapons systems.

The aircraft features networked data-links that allow it to share fuel, weapons status and sensor data with other Gripen fighters and command-and-control. It mounts an electronic warfare suite allowing it to jam enemy radars, missiles and other electronic systems

Sweden is expected to purchase 60 of the planes to gradually replace the Gripen C/D models already in service. Brazil has already agreed to procure 36 Gripen E and Gripen F two-seater aircraft, and Saab expects to export the aircraft to other countries.

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