Colombia Acquires Swedish JAS 39 Gripen Fighters
14 April 2025 · Uncategorized ·
Source: · https://technews.tw/2025/04/06/columbia-chose-jas-39-as-their-new-fighters/
Recently, the governments of Colombia and Sweden formally signed a Letter of Intent for Bogotá to procure Saab-developed JAS-39 E/F fighter jets as part of its new air force mainstay. President Gustavo Petro announced on his official X account that after signing this letter with the Swedish government and prioritizing national strategic aerial defense, it was reported...
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) April 2, 2025
Colombian President Gustavo Petro recently posted an announcement on his official X account stating he has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase the latest JAS-39 E/F Gripen fighter jets from Sweden. This acquisition will make Colombia South America’s second country—after Brazil—to operate this model.
Prior to deciding on the new aircraft, Bogotá had considered both the Gripen and F-16 models for some time; reports initially suggested that the U.S. government might prohibit Sweden from exporting the F414 engine in an attempt to secure a win for the F-16. However, Stockholm quickly clarified these claims as baseless.
The JAS-39 was introduced by Saab (Saab AB) in 1988 and entered service in 1996; it underwent significant upgrades with the introduction of the JAS-39 Demo model in 2008, which served as a prototype for today’s E/F versions. These newer models feature an F414G engine, active phased array radar systems, a redesigned landing gear system, increased range by 40%, and additional pylons under their wings.
Besides Sweden's Air Force, other countries such as Thailand, the Czech Republic, South Africa, and Hungary also operate JAS-39 fighter jets. Brazil became the first buyer in South America when it purchased them in 2014.
Currently, Saab is still negotiating with Colombia’s government regarding procurement numbers and total costs among other details; therefore, contract specifics remain to be officially disclosed by both parties.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) April 2, 2025
Colombian President Gustavo Petro recently posted an announcement on his official X account stating he has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase the latest JAS-39 E/F Gripen fighter jets from Sweden. This acquisition will make Colombia South America’s second country—after Brazil—to operate this model.
Prior to deciding on the new aircraft, Bogotá had considered both the Gripen and F-16 models for some time; reports initially suggested that the U.S. government might prohibit Sweden from exporting the F414 engine in an attempt to secure a win for the F-16. However, Stockholm quickly clarified these claims as baseless.
The JAS-39 was introduced by Saab (Saab AB) in 1988 and entered service in 1996; it underwent significant upgrades with the introduction of the JAS-39 Demo model in 2008, which served as a prototype for today’s E/F versions. These newer models feature an F414G engine, active phased array radar systems, a redesigned landing gear system, increased range by 40%, and additional pylons under their wings.
Besides Sweden's Air Force, other countries such as Thailand, the Czech Republic, South Africa, and Hungary also operate JAS-39 fighter jets. Brazil became the first buyer in South America when it purchased them in 2014.
Currently, Saab is still negotiating with Colombia’s government regarding procurement numbers and total costs among other details; therefore, contract specifics remain to be officially disclosed by both parties.