Canada and Portugal are considering the Swedish-made Gripen fighter jet as a potential alternative to the American F-35, says Micael Johansson, CEO of Saab, the aircraft’s manufacturer, according to Militarnyi.
Portugal recently began the search for a replacement for its aging fleet of F-16s. While initial plans prioritized acquiring around 30 F-35s, Lisbon is now shifting focus toward European aircraft due to uncertainty surrounding a potential new Trump administration.
Johansson says Saab is preparing proposals for both countries, with negotiations progressing well, potentially paving the way for future Gripen sales.
Canada previously evaluated the Gripen during its CF-188A/B Hornet replacement program but ultimately selected the F-35, citing its advanced capabilities and interoperability with allied forces.
Currently, the Portuguese Air Force operates 28 upgraded F-16 AM/BM fighters under the MLU program. In 2017, 12 of its F-16s were also sold to Romania, which later acquired five additional jets in 2019, delivered in 2021.
In addition to talks with Portugal and Canada, Saab has already secured deals for its Gripen E/F jets with Colombia and Thailand.
Colombia announced in April that it had chosen the JAS-39 Gripen to replace its aging fleet of Kfir fighters. The contract value has not yet been disclosed, but an agreement is expected soon.
Thailand has also been authorized to purchase 12 to 14 Gripen fighters to replace its aging F-16A/B OCU aircraft.
Meanwhile, Belgium is moving ahead with plans to acquire more F-35s. Defense Minister Theo Francken has recently stated that he wants the additional aircraft to be manufactured in Italy rather than the US.
In an interview with HLN, Francken noted that Belgium is increasing its defense spending by nearly €4 billion annually—the country’s largest defense investment in four decades.
“History has come full circle. What Russia unleashed on 24 February 2022 is a classical war of conquest. Europe hasn’t seen anything like it since World War II. We thought such wars were a thing of the past… We were wrong,” Francken said.
Belgium’s new coalition government, formed in January 2025, announced in March that it would raise defense spending to 2% of GDP, with a goal of reaching 2.5% in the future.
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