JAS 39 Gripen vs. YF-23 Black Widow II: Who Wins a ‘Knife Fight’ in the Sky?

JAS 39 Gripen vs. YF-23 Black Widow II: Who Wins a ‘Knife Fight’ in the Sky?

PUBLISHED on August 12, 2025, 2:52 PM EDT – Key Points and Summary – A hypothetical matchup pits the operational Swedish JAS 39 Gripen against the experimental American YF-23 “Black Widow II.” The two aircraft represent entirely different design philosophies. The YF-23 prototype was a marvel of its time, prioritizing superior stealth, speed, and altitude. In contrast, the fourth-generation Gripen is a combat-proven, cost-effective, and highly ag…