What You Need to Know: Sweden’s Saab JAS-39 Gripen continues to expand its presence in South America, with Brazil increasing its original order by 25% and Saab offering the fighter to Colombia as a replacement for its aging Kfir fleet.
-Valued at $3.2 billion, the Colombian deal could further solidify the Gripen’s role in the region. Peru is also eyeing the Gripen to modernize its fleet, which includes Dassault Mirage 2000s and MiG-29s.
-Known for its versatility, low maintenance, and ability to operate from austere facilities, the Gripen is positioned as a cost-effective solution for South America’s defense needs.
More JAS-39 Gripens Heading to South America
Sweden’s Saab JAS-39 Gripen was designed to operate in Nordic conditions, but it has found favor with countries that rarely (if ever) see snow. The aircraft has been operated by the Royal Thai Air Force since 2016, and Bangkok announced earlier this year it would expand its fleet, ordering more than a dozen Gripen E/F models to replace its aging F-16 Fighting Falcons. In addition, Brazil, which adopted the JAS-39 in a 2014 deal and received the first of a planned 36 aircraft in 2019, announced that it would extend the contract by 25%.
As part of that deal, Saab opened a factory in the South American country to support the production of the aircraft.
Brazil may not be the only South American nation to operate the Gripen, as this month Saab officials offered the multirole fighter to Colombia. Bogotá has been looking to replace its older Israeli-made Kfir aircraft. Maintaining the aging fighters has been a strain on Colombia’s defense budget, and the decision was made to seek a newer platform.
Terms of the deal are reportedly still being finalized, but it was valued at 35 billion Swedish crowns (SEK) or $3.2 billion.
“I think we have a good offer, but it’s of course not ever without competition,” Saab CEO Micael Johansson told Reuters earlier this month.
Peru Also Interested
Saab and São Paulo industry partner Embraer are now on track to produce the Gripen for other markets in Latin America, and beyond Colombia, the fighters are being eyed carefully by Peru.
“It makes sense to work from this hub in Brazil if we have the opportunity to also convince Colombia and Peru about selecting the Gripen,” Johansson added. “But Peru is also a very interesting market since they have publicly said that they have created a budget to start this acquisition. So of course we are in that competition as well.”
The Peruvian Air Force currently operates around a dozen French-produced Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters, along with Russian-made Sukhoi Su-25 (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) and Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) fighters. It is now looking to modernize and expand its fleet of aircraft, and the JAS-39 Gripen is seen as a cost-effective aircraft suited for the region.
The supersonic, multi-role fighter jet is capable of air combat and air-to-ground operations, while it can operate from austere facilities, including remote roads turned into temporary runways. It can also carry a variety of advanced munitions.
The Gripen is also equipped with reinforced landing gear that positions the airframe high above the ground to prevent any debris from being sucked into the jet engine’s air intake. The JAS 39 was also developed with low maintenance requirements.
“If airbases, airports or auxiliary landing strips are damaged or otherwise unavailable, the JAS 39 Gripen fighters can land on roads that have been deliberately engineered to accommodate landings by fighter jets. Once on the ground, the Gripens make use of a mobile forward arming and refuelling point (FARP), gassing up in a matter of minutes before taking off again,” according to a report from DVIDS.
Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
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