Sign up for the editor's
weekly newsletter
- Sweden edition
- Change edition:
- France |
- Germany |
- Norway |
- Switzerland
Reader Offer
May 26, 2012
US fuel stops Gripen Libya mission
Published: 7 Apr 11 07:55 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/33058/20110407/
The Swedish JAS Gripen aircraft deployed in Sicily as part of NATO's Libya mission remained grounded on Thursday as the fuel available is suitable only for US navy aircraft.
- Saab CEO 'spied upon' during Swiss Gripen talks (25 May 12)
- Saab to defence clients: 'See first - Kill first' (9 Apr 12)
- Swedes held for NATO HQ break-in attempt (2 Apr 12)
The Gripen were due to participate in their first mission over Libya on Thursday but this has now been delayed and test flights have been postponed.
According to the outline plan, the eight aircraft were all due to monitor the UN no-fly zone over the civil-war torn country from Thursday but on arrival at the base they discovered that no fuel was available.
The Sigonella base is designed as a naval air force base, lieutenant colonal Mats Brindsjö, head of the Swedish Air Operation Center, said.
"And US navy aircraft use somewhat different fuel to that which we use in our planes," he told the TT news agency.
The US fuel variety is known as JP5 while the Gripen normally fly using a civil fuel known as Jet A1.
"Certain additives and some equipment are needed to change JP5 to Jet A1 in a controlled manner. This equipment is not as yet in place down there and in the time being we are trying to buy the fuel from a place off the base."
"This really should have been investigated as soon as we arrived, but we didn't have time with all the other details," Mats Brindsjö said, adding that he expects the Gripen aircraft to be in the air on Friday.
The Swedish aircraft will undergo a test flight in order to familiarize themselves with the airspace before NATO authorities are informed that the Gripen stand at the ready.
Sweden is not a member of NATO, although it has been in NATO's
Partnership for Peace programme since 1994 and has contributed some 500 troops to the alliance's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) force in
Afghanistan.
Sweden also took part in operations in Kosovo.
Nevertheless Sweden's air force has not been involved in action since it
took part in a UN-mandated operation in the then Belgian Congo from 1961-63.
The Libyan operation will be the first combat tour for the JAS Gripen 39,
produced by the Swedish defence group Saab.
Sweden's Nordic neighbours Denmark and Norway are already taking part in
Libyan air operations.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Fark It!
Digg This
Share everywhere
Send to a friend
Printable version
Twitter ThisToday's headlines
New Swedish union boss seeks welfare state boost
Sweden's Trade Union Confederation on Saturday elected as its new president Karl- Petter Thorwaldsson, who proceeded to call for a restoration of the Swedish welfare model. READ »
Swedish police hunt man for imam shooting
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a man in connection with the shooting of an Uzbek imam in northern Sweden in February. READ »
Hillary Clinton lines up Sweden visit
Sweden is set to host US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in early June and discussions will concern green energy, internet freedom, Afghanistan and the Middle East READ (2 COMMENTS) »
Ibrahimovic pledges future to Milan
Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has stated that he is happy at AC Milan and will honour his contract, while bemoaning the club's lack of financial muscle. READ »
'Retard doll' shocks Swedish shoppers
A doll billed as a "real retard" found its way into stores in Gothenburg in western Sweden on Thursday, prompting strong reactions about a campaign meant to draw attention to the treatment of people with disabilities. READ (15 COMMENTS) »
Woman jailed for fatal love-triangle stabbing
A jealous Swedish woman who murdered her ex-boyfriend’s new partner in September has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. READ (14 COMMENTS) »
THE LOCAL LIST
Ten signs that you've 'gone native' in Sweden
After having lived in Sweden for a certain number of years, many ex-pats start asking, “Am I going native or what?” Check out The Local's guide to tell-tale signs that you may be more integrated into Swedish society than you first realized. READ (18 COMMENTS) »
EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
UK wildlife park animals catch ‘Euphoria’ fever
The Paradise Wildlife Park in the UK has pledged their allegiance to Sweden in the Eurovision song contest by making their own film version of Loreen’s “Euphoria” – complete with dancing animals. READ »
More National
- 26/05 New Swedish union boss seeks welfare state boost »
- 26/05 Swedish police hunt man for imam shooting »
- 25/05 Woman jailed for fatal love-triangle stabbing (14 comments) »
- 25/05 Swedish police 'worst' in Scandinavia (14 comments) »
- 25/05 Stockholmers stranded as outage stops trains (3 comments) »
- 25/05 Fire engines delayed by giant flower pots (3 comments) »
- 24/05 'Remember my face': murder suspect (9 comments) »
- 24/05 Man found dead in Malmö after 'noisy brawl' »
- 24/05 Swedish rapper reported for Twitter death threat (8 comments) »
- 24/05 One dead in foreign worker car crash »
Meet Sanna, 9 years old
Sanna is one of 2 million people in Sweden under the age of 18. Sweden is seen as a good place to grow up. The law makes sure children are well-protected and defends their rights and any organizations work with children's well-being. Read more »
Strindberg, king of drama
August Strindberg's plays shocked society, dazzled audiences and revolutionized drama. A century after his death, Strindberg, with his powerful, timeless themes, is celebrated around the world. Read more »
Blog Update: Snuggling With the Enemy
The story of K Composite Magazine »
"I’m working on a couple long articles which will be posted here soon. While those are in the works, I thought I’d share this article and interview about my magazine, K Composite, which was recently published on the site Design-Milk.com. Enjoy! Scott Ritcher launched his now digitally glossy mag, K Composite, back when Macs were used..." READ »
- 23/5 16:27 Prime Minister Reinfeldt chats with The Local (The Local's Blog)
- 18/5 10:55 The answer is in the seed bag (Julie's Nordic Island)
- 11/5 20:19 Back in Stockholm (They Call Me Sweden)
Highlights
|
|
Swedish word of the day
lång
adjective
Lång means long, tall and can be used for height, distance or time.
Latest news from The Local in Germany
- 25/05 Special Olympics deliver pure gold in Munich »
- 25/05 'Homeless billionaire' to rescue drugstore chain »
More news from Germany at thelocal.de
Latest news from The Local in Switzerland
- 26/03 Swiss customs seize Roman sarcophagus »
- 26/03 Roche extends hostile $5.7 billion Illumina bid »
More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch
Latest news from The Local in France
- 26/03 Sarkozy bans controversial cleric »
- 26/03 Toulouse gunman divorces wife hours before assault »
More news from France at thelocal.fr
Latest news from The Local in Norway
More news from Norway at thelocal.no
Blog
New book about Sweden – get to know the country
Sweden – Up North, Down to Earth is a book about Sweden today. A country of natural beauty and open space, and a society focused on equality, human rights and sustainability. Meet regular and astonishing Swedes, supercars and indie rock bands, vampires and royalties.
Buy your copy of Sweden – Up North, Down to Earth from Sweden Bookshop
In cooperation with DoToday
Register
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
Noticeboard
- 23/05 piano lessons
- 23/05 Seeking helper for Posting parcels at postal office
- 22/05 Coffee-maker
- 22/05 Pet sitter available in Gotene and Lidkoping
- 22/05 apartment in Lund wanted
- 22/05 Musicians wanted
Discuss
- 15:41 Helicopters over Stockholm
- 15:21 What's it like for kids?
- 13:43 Buying a car in Sweden
- 13:03 Help...Any Amusement Arcade in Stockholm?
- 12:58 TV Subscriptions and Cancelations
- 12:48 Rosetta Stone Opinions
- 12:37 Starting an enskild firma or sole trader business
- 12:20 I need info about these Swedish candies
- 11:05 Am I in trouble? Or did I miss to do something?
- 10:14 In a nutshell, My weight is my problem?
Swedish Down Town
Swedish Down Town PR Consulting and Productions is an innovative business company which provides valuable assistance with Public Relations and Communications in the Swedish and the international market.
www.swedishdowntown.com
Swedish Down Town PR Consulting and Productions is an innovative business company which provides valuable assistance with Public Relations and Communications in the Swedish and the international market.
www.swedishdowntown.com
QUALITY ACCOMMODATION ON SWEDISH HIGH COAST
Comfortable Fully Serviced Apartments for Leisure or Business Travel Beautiful surroundings. Internet & Sat TV
www.oldriverhouse.se
Comfortable Fully Serviced Apartments for Leisure or Business Travel Beautiful surroundings. Internet & Sat TV
www.oldriverhouse.se
Volunteer Venture
Volunteer Venture is dedicated to promoting community tourism by welcoming volunteers and travelers to discover the cultural differences in Nepal as English teaching volunteers, orphanage volunteers, Monk teachers and many more
www.volunteerventure.org/
Volunteer Venture is dedicated to promoting community tourism by welcoming volunteers and travelers to discover the cultural differences in Nepal as English teaching volunteers, orphanage volunteers, Monk teachers and many more
www.volunteerventure.org/
The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
English Speaking Therapist Stockholm
British-Australian Male Counsellor. Counselling Therapy for Depression, Mental Health, Sex, Relationship & Expat Issues
08-559 22 636 or CLICK HERE
British-Australian Male Counsellor. Counselling Therapy for Depression, Mental Health, Sex, Relationship & Expat Issues
08-559 22 636 or CLICK HERE
Doctor of Psychology
Therapy in English in Stockholm Trained in California Individuals & Couples (08) 93 81 48 FREE phone consultation
Visit anxiousorblue.se
Therapy in English in Stockholm Trained in California Individuals & Couples (08) 93 81 48 FREE phone consultation
Visit anxiousorblue.se
Turning Point Counseling
Turning Point Counselling centre offers the international community of Stockholm a safe space for personal development, counselling and coaching.
http://www.turning-point.se/show.asp
Turning Point Counselling centre offers the international community of Stockholm a safe space for personal development, counselling and coaching.
http://www.turning-point.se/show.asp
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.
Are you listening? You deploy a fighting force and you supply them. Did you....not know that? Did you remember to bring your missiles? Extra ammo for the guns?
DID YOU!? Cause evidentially---I can't just assume that. How about the pilots? Has somebody worked out where they're going to sleep at night? Have they?
It's maybe not as stupid as it first appears - and certainly makes the point for prospective Grippen purchasers (excluding Norway of course). Buy a USA fighter jet and you need non-standard fuel.
The Swedes can send down the road to the nearest civilian airport - in Sicily - for the fuel, where do the Americans get their JP5?
are they even considering buying gas from a local Agip gas station?
this is really stupid
You have right, but in military operations, logistic is very important and there are check points, which must be done before any operation. Fuel is absolute one of the most important matter to check, it's impossible to miss it, just a super stupid might miss it!
Swedish Pilot: "Hej, can we have some fuel for our planes please?"
American Pilot: "Yah, this stuff won't work on your planes."
Swedish Pilot: "But you seem to have a whole bunch of it, and you're fueling up your planes with it."
American Pilot: "Yah, thaaaaats because this stuff only works on English speaking planes ... yah, that's it ... only English speaking planes. You can probably ask the Italians if you can borrow some of their fuel."
@ blursd,
That is exactly what I thought, as I was first reading the story :)
@ rybo1,
Sweden never has been, is not now and never will be independant.
US simply does not want Libyan to see Swedish Product performance .
People are dying in the Land and they are up on the sky, this is stupid, they are doing marketing of their Jetfighters so later they can sell it to Libyan opposition as the opposition started selling OIL .In this critical time they started selling oil.
Callback the Swedish Jetfighters! There is no market for Swedish Products there.
Stay natural! this is the best for Sweden. There many other ways to sell weapons.
These guys must be the laughingstock on that airforce base right now...
Why does it seem to me that the Swedish campaingn is more a case of shining the buttons of generals´ limunad-kläder?
I´m sure there´s a hundred different ways to get killed in a mission than flying around doing practically nothing.
I mean: Is a fighter-jet used as a poster for the camera?
With every piece of flying things from all over, it must be a logistical nightmare and I´m sure the flight controll has got it´s hands full for sure.
And...with those millions wasted on fuel and logistics would buy a heck of a lot of ground forces for the aftermath.
I'm curious what your propose people do. Siphon fuel off into gallon jugs and fedex them to Italy? Supposedly, there are trained military professionals who are supposed to do this, and I find it hard to believe that they were in such a rush they couldn't handle everything. They waited around 4 weeks before getting involved, but even the high level discussions between Sweden's military and NATO were reported in the news.
Hope to god nobody ever decides to attack Sweden as it sounds like the military would need months just to feel ready enough to respond. Is "military" even the right word? Sounds more like a hobby for these guys.
Now, the Swedish authorities send their fighters without even considering if JAS can fly in Libya and the kind fuel necessary for the operation. It's not a question of what kind of motors the fighters have, or if Americans are doing something tricky about JAS. A developed country (Sweden), which cut the budget at home because there is no money, send its fighter for advertisement and marketing its weapons, but forget to check if the weapons can function properly at the military bases!
Is it not stupid?
i propose you can still join the military if you are within the age limit or support them,currently they are recruiting its a chance to make things right i guess.lets wish this people good for once.what happened to humour.
I agree with you!
@saraswed
Do you know the difference between professionals and amatuer?
Jet A-1 is the fuel that is used by civil aircraft world wide.
JP5 is more volatile than Jet A-1.
The JAS is designed like the Viggen before it to use road bases
( you may have seen some wide stretches of straight road going through a forest with wide tracks going off into the woods)
and be able to re-fuel at any civil airport.
Sweden is not a member of NATO and therefore is not obliged to use the same more volatile fuel that NATO uses.
NATO wants Swedish help, then they should supply the fuel
Still Swedish AF should have asked them (NATO or whoever Sweden is assigned to work with) prior to departure whether the base in Italy already has Jet A-1 available. After all Swedish AF has done lots of exercises with NATO for decades they should really know that their Gripen is not compatible with most of NATO flying machines. What if you need a mid-air refueling over Libya and only JP-5 is available in US or NATO tankers ... wouldn't the pilots be danger then? Of course Sweden has a C-130 tanker but it may not be enough for 8 planes under some circumstance....
Most Swedish made weapons are NATO compatible since NATO is a great market for export.
I know about that but I was talking about the fuel for Gripen not their missiles or pods or anything like that. Even Gripen A/B have already been converted to be NATO compatible.
I think this is not about technological mismatch .. it is perhaps all about lack of experience?
But still Sweden has been involved in so many exercises with NATO forces .. how could this happen?
Quote
"The Sigonella base is designed as a naval air force base, lieutenant colonal Mats Brindsjö, head of the Swedish Air Operation Center, said."
The US Air force don't use this fuel either.Even if they use the same aircraft as the navy.
You mean NATO has a supermarket, and countries send their aircraft and get what they want from the supermarket of NATO!
Even if what you say is true, according to the article in here, Sweden has been the only country, which couldn't find its fuel in the supermarket; probably they should pomp somewhere on the road, before landing in Sicily!
According to Aftonbladet (Swedish) the JAS39 has already been on the first mission:
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article12849184.ab
Sorry if I spoiled the fun..! :P
The Swedish fighters could have joined in on the second massacre of Libyan rebels by NATO !!!!!!!
So there is a problem with fuel ok so what,s the xxxxing problem with super technological fighters targeting the wrong side !
We,ve seen it all before !
To all you Swedish basher,s what the hell are you doing here ???
Hate the country that much then go home !
Sorry to all you Tom Cruise wannabees but your exploits in Iraq and Afghanistan have been the last exploits of an Empire that never was !
And never will be !
China is laughing it,s head off at NATO , US dominated with Russia as a partner that has now decided to modernize it,s Military big time while Europe and the US spend billion and billions on wars that cause more problems than existed before !
Meanwhile China stays in defence ,advancing economically ,scientifically ,and miltaristically !!!!
Next on the moon the Chinese ,maybe on Russian rockets
They know where the next Empire lies !
Libya has the right to self determination , let the people of Libya make their history !
Sweden does participate = whining.
"Maybe next time time you will plan your own logistics or use common fuel."
That's exactly what has been done. And the fuel used is the same as the civilian air fleets everywhere are using. The JAS39 is made for road bases... and you can get the fuel needed practically anywhere (which has also been the case now).
I don't know from were the local has gotten all of this?? But oh well, some hyenas have gotten a laugh anyway.
And the small number of eight planes? Well it's only the division from the small group called Nordic battegroup:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_Battlegroup
If war came to Sweden there is really only one potential aggressor and that is Russia. If you were at war with Russia, only one country could realistically provide meaningful help, the US. The US response would come from air bases in Germany or the Fleet. That defence would primarily be air power, because it is the asset we could get in theater fastest. Sweden would have to be able to adjust it's 100 planes to our operations, because we can not possibly change our thousands of planes over quickly. Denmark and Norway"s Air forces are already set up to operate as eficiently as any US Squadron. Of course in the 1930s who in Norway or Denmark would have ben thinking they would be fighting Germany soon, war come quickly and without warning. History is littered with Empires and nations that no longer exist, because they failed to remember this fact. Troy, Persia, Imperial Russia, the Ottomans, Rome, Byzantium all failed to remember that military power is only as good as what you can do at the moment.
It's a matter of simple survival to be ready to assist friends who defend you. These small wars are great practice and realistically if your military hasn't been to war in five years it hasn't been to war.
What you people, at least the ignorant ones, don't care about and the local doesn't seem to bother to write is that the JAS39 began flying at Thursday. The very same date as this article was written. But hey that isn't funny, is it.... Much funnier to deride and mock. And no, it isn't thanks to NATO they are flying. Anyway I find that Italian base rather peculiar... Doesn't seem to be much of a base, does it...
Once again we have charged headlong into a conflict that is of no concern to us save the economic reasons. The majority of the western world has little concern for the suffering of the Arab world despite our protestations to the contrary. Even the speculation of petro shortages is unfounded and yet here we are.
We have no clear purpose other than the deposition of a tyrant. This end could have been achieved surgically at any juncture in the last four decades but the business of currying political favor for economic gain is a convoluted process. Better the devil you know.
There is no endgame here without total removal of the present regime by boots on the ground. Is it then any wonder that silly snafus like this occur?This is only the beginning of an enormous debacle.
I am so surprised that the 'anti-gov' lobby can only read 'stupidity' into these Machiavellian manoeuvres, but then subtlety was never one of their strong points!. Folks are so busy loading political points onto this subject that they overlook the obvious.
07-55 am - No Fuel. 18-42, same day, planes had already flown their first mission.And as Rick Methven points out #25, perhaps the logistical responsibility for fuel was Nato's!
"07-55 am - No Fuel. 18-42, same day, planes had already flown their first mission.And as Rick Methven points out #25, perhaps the logistical responsibility for fuel was Nato's! "
True but there again some posters will never let logic or the truth get in the way of a good knocking Sweden session
what can You tell us about the Italian Airbase that you find peculial?
Yes talk is cheap. Record yourself with a microphone and then listen to yourself.
Stating that the "Swedes are stupid, " e.g. both shows your lack of understanding of military logistics and highlights your own ignorance.
Both the blog and Sweden could do very well without you.
I mean they could have actually proceed to fill up the jets with the wrong fuel .... tried firing it up without success .... then looking at each other with a W-T-F look on their faces :D
Lucky Strike and everybody come home safe.
If SAAB JAS 39 GRIPPEN is for peaceful mission in Libya it is good!
It is good aircraft like all SAAB. I am for peaceful world, for peaceful life.
Tomas (Lithuania)
I´m all for overthrowing Gaddafi and his regime, but by which means this is done, should be debated. Nobody even knows with a 100% certainty, who to support & who to ignore.
Seems like a very expensive military "exercise" in a place with actual and REAL war conditions.
Usually swedes "diskuterar" everything for months until the mental health of opposing side is driven to the brink of insanity.
Why the sudden change?
NATO-heat?