Colombia selects Saab Gripen E/F to replace ageing Kfir fleet
April 4, 2025
Colombia has selected Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets to replace its outdated Israeli-made IAI Kfir fleet, the government has announced, which although not yet a finalised deal certainly suggests positive momentum for the Swedish manufacturer’s sales. Saab has also reaffirmed its statement that the E/F’s engine will not fall foul of speculated ITAR restrictions, making it a realistic option for ongoing negotiations Swedish defence minister Pål Jonson confirmed “are now underway”.
Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Air Force Commander Maj Gen Carlos Silva Rueda confirmed that the Colombian Air Force intends to acquire between 16 and 24 Gripen in what would be a progressive transition from existing Kfirs. With the ageing aircraft nearing the end of their operational lives, “not making the decision at this time puts the fulfilment of a constitutional mission at serious risk,” elaborated defence minister Pedro Sánchez, who cited the decision made by Colombia’s national government as “urgent”. The “capabilities to defend sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and the constitutional order cannot be reactive,” he continued.
The Gripen is intended to be in Colombian service for at least 35 years, “but the aircraft itself can extend its operation according to the capabilities that we are going to acquire for at least half a century,” Sánchez elaborated. This ease of upgrade is supported by the digital agility at the heart of the Gripen E/F, with an open-architecture system facilitating the integration of new capabilities and rapid adaptation to evolving operational requirements. Colombia will also have the ability to upgrade its own software-defined architecture.
Saab CEO Micael Johansson confirmed the next step will now be to finalise the contract “within the next months to come,” reaffirming his confidence that “Saab absolutely have the best offering for Colombia when it comes to the Gripen E/F”. However, despite the Swedish fighter having emerged as the preferred candidate over both main rivals (the French Dassault Rafale and the US Lockheed Martin F-16), the sale will still remain reliant on US ITAR regulations not blocking the export of the E/F’s General Electric F414 engine.
“When it comes to autonomy of the system, we have all the licenses from all the suppliers in place… we can absolutely commit to deliver the aircraft without any hiccups when it comes to the supply chain,” stated Johansson. “There is no veto”.
The selection of Gripen E/F was first announced by the Colombian government via a social media post late last night, with President Custavo Petro having received a letter of intent from the government of Sweden “approving the strategic defence of Colombia” with the acquisition “of a new fleet of Saab [JAS] 39 Gripen aircraft”. Responding on X, Petro reported that following Sweden’s “approval of the country’s strategic air defence as a priority project,” Colombia was to initiate the acquisition of a “completely new” fleet of aircraft “with the latest technology, already deployed in Brasil”.
The transfer of what Johansson described as a “comprehensive” software package will also include a direct deal to support the Colombian aeronautical industry, with Johansson comparing a potential second South American export setup to the approach taken by the E/F’s inaugural export customer. “This is not theory – we have done this in Brazil,” he said. Further influential factors also impacting the deal include a “social investment compensation” to include a solar panel production plant along provision for drinking water projects and augmented medical facilities within Colombia.
If successful, Colombia will become the Gripen E/F’s second export customer, concluding a process that has seen the Colombian Air Force receive confirmed sales offers for new and used F-16s as recently as December 2024.
