Canada could assemble Swedish Gripen jets for Ukraine’s Air Force
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Saab is evaluating Canada as a potential site for Gripen fighter jet assembly to expand production capacity following a letter of intent between Sweden and Ukraine for up to 150 aircraft. The assessment also aligns with Saab’s plan to establish additional manufacturing centers outside Sweden and Brazil to meet increasing international demand.
According to The Canadian Press on October 29, 2025, Saab confirmed it is studying Canada as a potential location for Gripen fighter jet assembly, part of a broader plan to expand output capacity after the company’s agreement in principle to supply up to 150 aircraft to Ukraine. Saab Chief Executive Micael Johansson said the expansion would nearly double current production rates and may include final assembly and testing operations in new regional sites. The evaluation reflects ongoing efforts to diversify Saab’s manufacturing network across Europe and North America.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Saab’s original Gripen proposal for Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project included assembly, maintenance, and upgrade facilities, as well as the establishment of centers dedicated to research, cyber resilience, and sensor technologies. (Picture source: Saab)
The Swedish company Saab is considering Canada as a possible location to assemble Gripen fighter jets as part of its plan to expand production capacity following increased demand from Ukraine, after Stockholm and Kyiv signed a letter of intent for up to 150 aircraft. Saab Chief Executive Micael Johansson confirmed that such a contract would roughly double the company’s current output, prompting the exploration of new industrial hubs outside Sweden and Brazil, including Canada and other parts of Europe. He added that the company is prepared to establish final assembly and testing in Ukraine once conditions permit and financing is finalized. Saab’s decision to assess Canada coincides with a broader strategy to build regional partnerships that combine domestic industrial participation with rapid production growth, as this could mark the most significant reorganization of Saab’s Gripen manufacturing network since the introduction of the Gripen E in 2019.
Saab Canada president Simon Carroll previously stated that Canada’s aerospace sector is capable of supporting a significant increase in global defense demand and that the firm continues to strengthen its cooperation with Canadian companies for both domestic and export programs. Saab maintains permanent offices in Ottawa, Halifax, and Medicine Hat and provides multiple systems already in use by the Canadian Armed Forces and federal agencies. These include the Carl Gustaf shoulder-launched weapon system, the RBS 70 NG short-range air defense system, the Sea Giraffe AMB radar fitted on Halifax-class frigates, and live training and simulation systems. Saab also collaborates with Bombardier on the GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft, with airframes produced in Canada before final integration in Sweden. Additional partnerships include work with Tulmar Safety Systems in Ontario to manufacture advanced camouflage equipment.
The expansion of Gripen production is centered on Saab’s modular, multi-site manufacturing system, which currently operates in Linköping, Sweden, and São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. The Linköping plant handles airframe construction, avionics integration, radar installation, and structural testing, while the Brazilian site, operated in partnership with Embraer, focuses on local assembly and flight testing for the Força Aérea Brasileira. Components such as engines, landing gear, radar subsystems, and electronics are sourced from an international supplier base, including Volvo Aero, Leonardo, General Electric, and Honeywell. Saab’s long-term plan calls for additional regional assembly centers capable of producing between 20 and 30 aircraft annually, bringing combined output to more than 50 fighters per year if required. This approach is designed to ensure production continuity even if disruptions occur at a single site and allows new customers, such as Ukraine, to participate in licensed assembly under Swedish supervision. Johansson noted that Saab’s goal is to make Gripen manufacturing scalable through standardized tooling, interchangeable modules, and synchronized quality assurance systems.
Saab’s model of localized assembly is based on full technology transfer agreements that allow customer nations to develop their own technical capacity while Saab maintains overall systems integration responsibility. This framework was previously implemented in Brazil, where over 400 engineers and technicians were trained in Sweden between 2015 and 2022 to support the domestic production of Gripen E. A similar structure is being discussed with Ukraine and could be adapted for Canada, with initial work focused on assembly, testing, and maintenance rather than full component fabrication. The company emphasized that regional hubs would follow a phased activation sequence, starting with final assembly, ground testing, and flight trials, followed by the gradual inclusion of composite and avionics manufacturing once the workforce is fully trained. Saab describes this multi-tiered model as essential for meeting production schedules and ensuring long-term operational sovereignty for client nations. Each site would operate under shared digital engineering standards and identical calibration equipment to maintain uniform configuration across all Gripen E aircraft.
Moreover, the Gripen E was designed from inception to support distributed production and rapid modification. The aircraft’s structure and internal systems are built on a digital architecture that integrates advanced 3D modeling, automated drilling, and precision riveting systems, reducing assembly time by up to 40 percent compared to earlier variants. Each airframe is tracked through a unified digital manufacturing database that ensures compatibility between sections built in different countries. This system enables final assembly facilities in Sweden, Brazil, or any potential partner nation to align components with minimal manual adjustment. The modular design also extends to mission systems and electronic warfare components, which can be swapped or upgraded without redesigning the fuselage. These engineering principles not only increase production flexibility but also allow Saab to add or remove capabilities based on export restrictions or operator requirements. The company has confirmed that these same digital systems are already being used to coordinate work between the Swedish and Brazilian lines and would form the foundation of any future Canadian or Ukrainian facility.
Saab’s production expansion is directly linked to rising international demand for mid-cost multirole fighters that combine advanced sensors with lower operating expenses. The company has delivered 60 Gripen E/F aircraft to Sweden, 36 to Brazil, and four to Thailand, with additional negotiations underway with multiple governments in Latin America, Central Europe, and Asia. Saab’s CEO stated that peak production historically reached 18 aircraft per year, but new investments will allow the company to exceed that rate through additional staffing, tooling, and automation upgrades. The firm’s current order backlog exceeds 200 billion SEK, supported by increased European defense budgets and additional contracts for radars, missiles, and training systems. During the third quarter of 2025, Saab’s operating profit rose to 1.37 billion SEK on 18 percent organic growth, while quarterly bookings totaled 20.9 billion SEK. The company’s full-year sales forecast for 2025 was raised from 16–20 percent to 20–24 percent growth, reflecting continued expansion across its aerospace divisions. Saab’s management emphasized that scaling up Gripen production will remain a primary focus into 2026.
The Ukrainian requirement is a central factor in Saab’s decision to consider both Canadian and European production sites. Johansson stated that a Ukrainian order for 100 to 150 Gripens would “more or less double” capacity needs, requiring new facilities for final assembly and testing. He added that such a setup could be partly financed by Sweden and other European Union partners, with ongoing discussions on whether frozen Russian assets might be used as part of the funding mechanism. While no contract has yet been signed, Ukrainian and Swedish leaders have agreed that local assembly would be beneficial to Ukraine’s defense industry, potentially creating an independent maintenance and upgrade capability. Ukrainian military officials have repeatedly cited the Gripen’s short takeoff and landing capability, low maintenance requirements, and compatibility with improvised runways as key advantages for operations under wartime conditions. The aircraft’s design allows refueling and rearming within twenty minutes using minimal ground personnel, making it suitable for dispersed operations in a contested environment. Saab has said this operational concept influences its entire production strategy, emphasizing reliability and speed of field support.
The Gripen E uses a General Electric F414-GE-39E engine producing 98 kilonewtons of thrust, manufactured under license by Volvo Aero in Trollhättan. It carries a Selex Raven ES-05 AESA radar from Leonardo and integrates an Infrared Search and Track system, electronic countermeasures, and a networked data link compatible with NATO standards. Its empty weight of approximately 8,000 kilograms and maximum takeoff weight of 16,500 kilograms allow high fuel efficiency and adaptability to different payload configurations. The fighter’s avionics architecture separates flight-critical and mission software, enabling more frequent software upgrades without full system recertification. Saab has reported that total production time per aircraft is around 8,000 to 9,000 hours, with current automation projects expected to reduce that figure by 15 percent in the next three years. Each Gripen passes through a multi-stage quality assurance process involving non-destructive testing, digital system verification, and final radar calibration before delivery. These standardized manufacturing and inspection procedures form the core of Saab’s plan to replicate production across multiple international locations, including a potential site in Canada.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Saab is evaluating Canada as a potential site for Gripen fighter jet assembly to expand production capacity following a letter of intent between Sweden and Ukraine for up to 150 aircraft. The assessment also aligns with Saab’s plan to establish additional manufacturing centers outside Sweden and Brazil to meet increasing international demand.
According to The Canadian Press on October 29, 2025, Saab confirmed it is studying Canada as a potential location for Gripen fighter jet assembly, part of a broader plan to expand output capacity after the company’s agreement in principle to supply up to 150 aircraft to Ukraine. Saab Chief Executive Micael Johansson said the expansion would nearly double current production rates and may include final assembly and testing operations in new regional sites. The evaluation reflects ongoing efforts to diversify Saab’s manufacturing network across Europe and North America.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Saab’s original Gripen proposal for Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project included assembly, maintenance, and upgrade facilities, as well as the establishment of centers dedicated to research, cyber resilience, and sensor technologies. (Picture source: Saab)
The Swedish company Saab is considering Canada as a possible location to assemble Gripen fighter jets as part of its plan to expand production capacity following increased demand from Ukraine, after Stockholm and Kyiv signed a letter of intent for up to 150 aircraft. Saab Chief Executive Micael Johansson confirmed that such a contract would roughly double the company’s current output, prompting the exploration of new industrial hubs outside Sweden and Brazil, including Canada and other parts of Europe. He added that the company is prepared to establish final assembly and testing in Ukraine once conditions permit and financing is finalized. Saab’s decision to assess Canada coincides with a broader strategy to build regional partnerships that combine domestic industrial participation with rapid production growth, as this could mark the most significant reorganization of Saab’s Gripen manufacturing network since the introduction of the Gripen E in 2019.
Saab Canada president Simon Carroll previously stated that Canada’s aerospace sector is capable of supporting a significant increase in global defense demand and that the firm continues to strengthen its cooperation with Canadian companies for both domestic and export programs. Saab maintains permanent offices in Ottawa, Halifax, and Medicine Hat and provides multiple systems already in use by the Canadian Armed Forces and federal agencies. These include the Carl Gustaf shoulder-launched weapon system, the RBS 70 NG short-range air defense system, the Sea Giraffe AMB radar fitted on Halifax-class frigates, and live training and simulation systems. Saab also collaborates with Bombardier on the GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft, with airframes produced in Canada before final integration in Sweden. Additional partnerships include work with Tulmar Safety Systems in Ontario to manufacture advanced camouflage equipment.
The expansion of Gripen production is centered on Saab’s modular, multi-site manufacturing system, which currently operates in Linköping, Sweden, and São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. The Linköping plant handles airframe construction, avionics integration, radar installation, and structural testing, while the Brazilian site, operated in partnership with Embraer, focuses on local assembly and flight testing for the Força Aérea Brasileira. Components such as engines, landing gear, radar subsystems, and electronics are sourced from an international supplier base, including Volvo Aero, Leonardo, General Electric, and Honeywell. Saab’s long-term plan calls for additional regional assembly centers capable of producing between 20 and 30 aircraft annually, bringing combined output to more than 50 fighters per year if required. This approach is designed to ensure production continuity even if disruptions occur at a single site and allows new customers, such as Ukraine, to participate in licensed assembly under Swedish supervision. Johansson noted that Saab’s goal is to make Gripen manufacturing scalable through standardized tooling, interchangeable modules, and synchronized quality assurance systems.
Saab’s model of localized assembly is based on full technology transfer agreements that allow customer nations to develop their own technical capacity while Saab maintains overall systems integration responsibility. This framework was previously implemented in Brazil, where over 400 engineers and technicians were trained in Sweden between 2015 and 2022 to support the domestic production of Gripen E. A similar structure is being discussed with Ukraine and could be adapted for Canada, with initial work focused on assembly, testing, and maintenance rather than full component fabrication. The company emphasized that regional hubs would follow a phased activation sequence, starting with final assembly, ground testing, and flight trials, followed by the gradual inclusion of composite and avionics manufacturing once the workforce is fully trained. Saab describes this multi-tiered model as essential for meeting production schedules and ensuring long-term operational sovereignty for client nations. Each site would operate under shared digital engineering standards and identical calibration equipment to maintain uniform configuration across all Gripen E aircraft.
Moreover, the Gripen E was designed from inception to support distributed production and rapid modification. The aircraft’s structure and internal systems are built on a digital architecture that integrates advanced 3D modeling, automated drilling, and precision riveting systems, reducing assembly time by up to 40 percent compared to earlier variants. Each airframe is tracked through a unified digital manufacturing database that ensures compatibility between sections built in different countries. This system enables final assembly facilities in Sweden, Brazil, or any potential partner nation to align components with minimal manual adjustment. The modular design also extends to mission systems and electronic warfare components, which can be swapped or upgraded without redesigning the fuselage. These engineering principles not only increase production flexibility but also allow Saab to add or remove capabilities based on export restrictions or operator requirements. The company has confirmed that these same digital systems are already being used to coordinate work between the Swedish and Brazilian lines and would form the foundation of any future Canadian or Ukrainian facility.
Saab’s production expansion is directly linked to rising international demand for mid-cost multirole fighters that combine advanced sensors with lower operating expenses. The company has delivered 60 Gripen E/F aircraft to Sweden, 36 to Brazil, and four to Thailand, with additional negotiations underway with multiple governments in Latin America, Central Europe, and Asia. Saab’s CEO stated that peak production historically reached 18 aircraft per year, but new investments will allow the company to exceed that rate through additional staffing, tooling, and automation upgrades. The firm’s current order backlog exceeds 200 billion SEK, supported by increased European defense budgets and additional contracts for radars, missiles, and training systems. During the third quarter of 2025, Saab’s operating profit rose to 1.37 billion SEK on 18 percent organic growth, while quarterly bookings totaled 20.9 billion SEK. The company’s full-year sales forecast for 2025 was raised from 16–20 percent to 20–24 percent growth, reflecting continued expansion across its aerospace divisions. Saab’s management emphasized that scaling up Gripen production will remain a primary focus into 2026.
The Ukrainian requirement is a central factor in Saab’s decision to consider both Canadian and European production sites. Johansson stated that a Ukrainian order for 100 to 150 Gripens would “more or less double” capacity needs, requiring new facilities for final assembly and testing. He added that such a setup could be partly financed by Sweden and other European Union partners, with ongoing discussions on whether frozen Russian assets might be used as part of the funding mechanism. While no contract has yet been signed, Ukrainian and Swedish leaders have agreed that local assembly would be beneficial to Ukraine’s defense industry, potentially creating an independent maintenance and upgrade capability. Ukrainian military officials have repeatedly cited the Gripen’s short takeoff and landing capability, low maintenance requirements, and compatibility with improvised runways as key advantages for operations under wartime conditions. The aircraft’s design allows refueling and rearming within twenty minutes using minimal ground personnel, making it suitable for dispersed operations in a contested environment. Saab has said this operational concept influences its entire production strategy, emphasizing reliability and speed of field support.
The Gripen E uses a General Electric F414-GE-39E engine producing 98 kilonewtons of thrust, manufactured under license by Volvo Aero in Trollhättan. It carries a Selex Raven ES-05 AESA radar from Leonardo and integrates an Infrared Search and Track system, electronic countermeasures, and a networked data link compatible with NATO standards. Its empty weight of approximately 8,000 kilograms and maximum takeoff weight of 16,500 kilograms allow high fuel efficiency and adaptability to different payload configurations. The fighter’s avionics architecture separates flight-critical and mission software, enabling more frequent software upgrades without full system recertification. Saab has reported that total production time per aircraft is around 8,000 to 9,000 hours, with current automation projects expected to reduce that figure by 15 percent in the next three years. Each Gripen passes through a multi-stage quality assurance process involving non-destructive testing, digital system verification, and final radar calibration before delivery. These standardized manufacturing and inspection procedures form the core of Saab’s plan to replicate production across multiple international locations, including a potential site in Canada.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
