Colombia has agreed to buy Gripen E fighter jets from Swedish defense giant Saab. The order value is EUR 3.1 billion ($3.6B), and deliveries will take place from 2026 to 2032.
The government said back in April that it would acquire fighter planes from Saab, but did not say how many or how much it would pay for them. Petro specified on Friday in an event at a military base that Colombia will buy 17 Gripen fighter jets.
The contract includes 15 Gripen E one-seater and 2 Gripen F two-seater fighter aircraft, as well as associated equipment, weapons, training, and services.
Petro said the new planes will be used to dissuade “aggression against Colombia, wherever it may come from.” “In a world that is geopolitically messy,” he said, such aggression can come from anywhere.”
“I am honored that Colombia has chosen Gripen E/F to enhance its air defence capabilities and delighted to welcome Colombia into the Gripen family. This marks the beginning of a strong and long-term partnership that will strengthen Colombia’s defence and security, benefit its people, and boost the nation’s innovation power,” says Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
US and French firms had also tried to sell warplanes to Colombia, but in the end, Bogota went with Saab.
“The sale of JAS Gripen to Colombia is one of Sweden’s largest ever export deals. This deal will strengthen Sweden’s security and economy, and demonstrates the clear link between trade and security,” says Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa.
“This is clear evidence of the competitiveness of Sweden’s defence industry and high-tech capability. In Gripen, Colombia is getting one of the world’s most advanced combat aircraft. I look forward to deepening our defence policy cooperation,” says Minister for Defence Pål Jonson.
“Sweden and Colombia enjoy excellent relations that go back a long way. I look forward to continuing to strengthen and expand the cooperation between our two countries,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard.
Earlier, as EurAsian Times reported, Columnian President in a tweet on November 2 said:
This article from El Tiempo only proves two things, both utterly dreadful.
1. The USA has been tailing my family.
2. The issue of the fury from US government officials, first and foremost, seems to be that I didn’t buy the second-hand F16s which the USA offered me, but instead opted for the brand-new Gripens from Sweden.
Colombian law allows me to make this deal. As far as I know, Sweden isn’t a terrorist country, nor are the owners of Gripen drug traffickers. They tried to criminalise Lula for the same reason, too.
Business, business. The negotiation with Sweden was done transparently. They shouldn’t force me to buy Russian planes then. We are sovereign; we’re not obliged to purchase second- or third-hand weaponry (F-16) for our public forces.
I believe the Kingdom of Sweden must speak out, and the firm Saab, about this attack on our freedom and sovereignty.
The US reportedly proposed up to 24 aircraft (a mix of donated second-hand Block 50/52s and new Block 70s) for about $4.2 billion, emphasizing interoperability with Colombia’s existing U.S.-sourced fleet (e.g., C-130s, Black Hawks).
You can read the full EurAsian Times article here
