Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen vs Dassault Aviation Rafale F4
Full specs: Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen Dassault Aviation Rafale F4
Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen and Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 are both fighter aircraft, compared here on public specifications. The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 leads on weapons payload (9,500 vs 5,300 kg).
Compare systems side by side
Search above to add up to five systems. You’ll get a per-spec winner, relative bars, a normalized spec profile and an honest verdict, every number from public sources.
Building a fleet? Try the Force Builder →
Full data
Full spec sheet
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 2,124 km/h ✓ | 1,912 km/h |
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 2 Mach ✓ | 1.8 Mach |
| Range (km) | 4,000 km ✓ | 3,700 km |
| Combat radius (km) | 1,500 km | 1,850 km ✓ |
| Service ceiling (m) | 16,000 m ✓ | 15,235 m |
| Rate of climb (m/s) | N/A | 305 m/s |
| Thrust-to-weight | 1.05 ✓ | 0.99 |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 10 | 14 ✓ |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 5,300 kg | 9,500 kg ✓ |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 15.2 m | 15.27 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 8,000 kg | 10,600 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 16,500 kg | 24,500 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 98 kN ✓ | 75 kN |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $85,000,000 ✓ | $115,000,000 |
| Units built | 60 | 280 ✓ |
| Operator countries | 3 | 8 ✓ |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen and Dassault Aviation Rafale F4? +
The Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 2,124 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen has the longest range at 4,000 km.
Which carries the larger weapons payload? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 carries the largest weapons payload at 9,500 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen has the lower public unit-cost figure at 85,000,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher max speed (mach)? +
The Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen has the higher max speed (mach) at 2 Mach.
Which has the higher combat radius? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 has the higher combat radius at 1,850 km.
Is the Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen better than the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4? +
On the public specs we track, the Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen leads on 4 of 6 headline metrics, see the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.
Where does this comparison data come from? +
Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.
Keep exploring
