On Saturday (15th), the Colombian government signed a contract with Swedish manufacturer Saab to purchase 17 Gripen E/F fighter jets.
In April, sheet showed that after years of debate, the Colombians had decided on the Saab Gripen E/F as their new fighter aircraft. This choice is important for Brazil, which also selected this model in 2014 and has an assembly line installed by Saab at the Embraer plant in Gavian Peixoto (SP).
The contract calls for the delivery of 15 one-seat Gripen E fighters and two two-seat Gripen F fighters, Saab said in a statement. It also includes related equipment, weapons, training, and other services.
The Swedish manufacturer and the Colombian government also announced the signing of two compensation agreements that establish the framework for several military and social projects in areas such as aviation, cybersecurity, health, sustainable energy and water purification technology.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on social media that the jets were “a deterrent weapon to achieve peace.” The statement, which did not directly quote US President Donald Trump, came amid heightened tensions in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean.
President Trump has ordered attacks on boats carrying suspected drug traffickers off the coast of Colombia and Venezuela, drawing public criticism from Petro. Tensions are rising in northern Latin America due to the growing US military presence in the region and the possibility of military action against the country led by President Nicolas Maduro.
The Saab Gripen E/F should replace the old Israeli Kfir supersonic aircraft in Colombia. The supersonic plane’s design was stolen from a French Mirage 5 by Tel Aviv intelligence in the 1970s when Paris vetoed the sale of fighter jets to the Jewish state.
Approximately 10 of the original 24 kufir are in operation in Bogotá. Its most capable model is the Brazilian A-29 Super Tucano, of which there are 24.
This choice will provide additional guarantees to Brazil’s Gripen technology project and avoid underutilization of the parks established in the country. The more customers we have, the more planes we have, the more maintenance, etc. In addition to Embraer, more than 60 Brazilian companies involved in this project should receive preferential treatment.
Additionally, the Brazilian Air Force is in a position to support the training of Colombian pilots. So far, 14 Brazilian aviators have already been able to fly the eight Gripens delivered to FAB, one of whom was fully trained in Brazil under Swedish guidance.
In the Brazilian project, 15 of the 36 aircraft will be assembled in Brazil. In addition to the natural problems associated with developing a new aircraft model, budget issues during the first few years of the partnership mean that the aircraft, which should have been completed by the middle of this decade, is not expected to be completed until closer to 2030.
Brazil now wants to buy 14 more fighter jets worth around 4 billion reais in the form of an addendum to the original contract. Although negotiations have effectively stalled, political progress has been made, with Sweden announcing the acquisition of four C-390 transport aircraft from Embraer. Although the parties do not use the word partnership, that is in fact their intention.
In an interview with sheetMikael Johansson, president of the manufacturer Saab, said the idea was to use the assembly line installed by Saab at the Embraer factory in Gavian Peixoto (SP) to supply aircraft in the region.
The expansion of Brazil’s center is aimed at loosening borders in Europe, where the continent’s new geopolitical configuration is already expected to increase demand from the Swedish government and other countries, and President Donald Trump has threatened to leave Europeans alone, leading to an increase in military spending following the announcement.
The deal is a significant win for Saab, and comes after Thailand’s selection of the Gripen as its new fighter jet and Portugal’s removal of the American-made F-35 from its list of options, increasing Sweden’s chances. Once again, the bill will fall to Trump. The Portuguese are frustrated by the White House’s hostile policies toward Europe and the NATO military alliance.
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