Gripen C/D
A not so recent report disclosed that the Department of National Defense is inclined to adopt the Gripen as its multi-role fighter. But it seems that this fighter jet may just leave the Philippine Air Force wanting. Let's do some simple math. The EEZ per UNCLOS is within 200 nautical miles or about 370 kilometers extending from the island baseline. If the subject Gripen on a mission is to proceed on a straight path from a land base to the edge of the EEZ and vice-versa, it will spend 740 kilometers of its combat radius. It is noted that the published combat radius of the subject Gripen is 800 kilometers. As such, the Gripen will be left with 60 kilometers in fuel for actual combat and evasive maneuver. Barring other variables and assuming that it is flying at the speed of 1500 kilometers per hour, it has about 2.5 minutes to do its thing. If it goes beyond 60 kilometers, or if it loitered longer than 2.5 minutes, it could literally fall off the sky anytime, while en route ba