Colombia chooses 17 Swedish Gripen E/F fighter jets and reshapes its airpower posture
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Sweden’s Saab has signed a 3.1 billion euro contract with Colombia for 17 Gripen E/F multirole fighters, plus training, weapons, and long-term support, with deliveries running from 2026 to 2032. The deal replaces the aging Kfir fleet, anchors a wider package of industrial and social projects, and gives Bogotá a modern, networked fighter that is not tied to a U.S. supply chain.
Swedish defense group Saab confirmed in Stockholm that it has signed a 3.1 billion euro contract with the Colombian government for 17 Gripen E/F fighters, a landmark deal that will rebuild the Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana’s fast jet fleet and deepen long-term political, industrial, and social ties between Bogotá and Stockholm.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Colombia signs a 3.1 billion euro deal for 17 Saab Gripen E/F fighters, replacing Kfirs and tying airpower renewal to industrial and social projects with Sweden. (Picture source: Saab)
For more than a decade, Bogotá has been seeking a successor to its Kfir, successively comparing Dassault’s Rafale and Lockheed Martin’s F-16 before converging, in early 2025, on the Swedish proposal. The announcement of a target fleet of 16 to 24 Gripen aircraft places the decision in a long-term planning process designed to ensure air policing and the protection of national airspace as the Kfirs are gradually retired. The deterioration of diplomatic relations with Israel in 2024 already complicates the maintenance of these aircraft and adds weight to the choice of a European supplier. With the formal signature of the contract, the FAC can now organise a phased transition in which the legacy aircraft remain in service only as the Gripens enter frontline units.
The structure of the agreement broadly follows the pattern already applied by Saab in Brazil. The contract, signed on 15 November, covers 17 aircraft, a set of weapons, associated equipment, training, and a support package spread over the entire delivery period. For the Swedish company, this is one of its largest defence export contracts. In parallel, Saab and the Colombian government conclude two offset agreements that define the framework for industrial and technological cooperation. The aim is to give Colombian institutions a lasting role in operating, maintaining, and upgrading the Gripen fleet, beyond the simple reception of completed aircraft.
The content of these offsets goes beyond the purely military field and fits into a broader narrative linking security and development. The framework mentions projects in aeronautics, cyber security, health, sustainable energy, and water treatment technologies, while Colombian political leaders already highlight potential in solar production, access to drinking water, and hospital modernisation. For the Colombian defence industrial and technological base (BITD), the prospect is to move from the status of user of imported systems to that of partner involved in in-depth maintenance, software adaptation, and, in time, subassembly manufacturing, even though the precise share of local work has not yet been specified.
On the technical side, the Gripen E/F variant selected by Colombia belongs to the latest “E-series” generation developed for Sweden and Brazil. The aircraft is powered by a General Electric F414-GE-39E turbofan of around 98 kN of thrust, derived from the F414 family, which provides roughly a quarter more thrust than the earlier F404 engines and allows solid performance in hot and high conditions over the Andes. The slightly enlarged airframe carries more internal fuel and offers 10 external hardpoints for around 7,200 kg of payload, complemented by an internal 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon with 120 rounds on the single-seat version. This relatively compact configuration enables the FAC to combine range, endurance, and payload for air policing, maritime patrol, and precision strike missions.
An important factor in the choice also lies in the sensor architecture. The Gripen E is equipped with a Raven ES-05 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, developed with Leonardo, mounted on a repositionable antenna that provides a search sector of about ±100 degrees and improves detection capability during manoeuvre. This radar is paired with the Skyward-G infrared search and track (IRST) system, which allows passive detection of aircraft and missiles without radar emissions, and with a dense set of electronic warfare systems feeding the wide-area cockpit display. For the Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana (FAC), this combination supports the construction of a recognised air picture and a robust common operational picture (COP), including in a contested electromagnetic environment.
The armament options offered by the platform correspond to Colombia’s requirements for regional air superiority. The Gripen E can carry the Meteor long-range air-to-air missile, whose ramjet propulsion and publicly stated range close to 200 km provide a large no-escape zone compared with previous generations. At shorter distances, missiles such as IRIS-T or AIM-9 provide high off-boresight engagement capability, while the aircraft can also employ AGM-65 Maverick missiles, guided bombs, and RBS-15 anti-ship missiles for air-to-surface and maritime missions. For the FAC, a single squadron can shift within days from air policing over the Amazon or Andean corridors to sea-control tasks in the Caribbean or along the Pacific coast without changing aircraft type.
At the tactical and operational levels, the Gripen concept is designed around flexibility and survivability. The aircraft is intended for dispersed operations from short or only partially prepared runways, with small teams able to carry out turnarounds in a few minutes. This approach fits Colombia’s network of secondary airfields and reduces vulnerability to a surprise strike on a single main base. A 360-degree electronic warfare suite, combined with IRST and low-emission tactics, allows operations under strict emissions control (EMCON) while still feeding the recognised maritime picture (RMP) and the COP via secure data links. Integrated with ground-based radars and air-defence systems, the Gripen E/F functions simultaneously as a fighter, a mobile sensor, and an electronic warfare platform within the national air-defence network.
For the Colombian defence industrial and technological base (BITD), the Gripen programme is also a tool for transferring skills and upgrading the workforce. The Brazilian experience, where an assembly line and an engineering ecosystem have formed around the F-39E, shows that even a more limited industrial share can generate lasting expertise in software, systems integration and mission data support. Colombian engineers and pilots will be trained on a platform compatible with NATO standards, which facilitates participation in joint exercises with regional partners and European air forces. In the medium term, the Gripen fleet can be networked with ground-based surveillance assets and medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones to build a more coherent air and maritime surveillance posture.
With this contract, Bogotá joins a community of Gripen users that already includes Sweden, Brazil, and Thailand, and reinforces the presence of a non-U.S. fighter option in a market largely dominated by the F-16 and, increasingly, the F-35. The decision also strengthens Sweden’s position in Latin America at a time when Stockholm is redefining its role within NATO, creating an additional link between Nordic defence industries and South American partners. For Colombia, the arrival of the Gripen E/F means that the next decade of airpower will rest on a modern, network-centric fighter that can support sovereignty, deter pressure on its airspace and maritime approaches, and give Bogotá greater strategic autonomy in balancing European, North American, and regional suppliers.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Sweden’s Saab has signed a 3.1 billion euro contract with Colombia for 17 Gripen E/F multirole fighters, plus training, weapons, and long-term support, with deliveries running from 2026 to 2032. The deal replaces the aging Kfir fleet, anchors a wider package of industrial and social projects, and gives Bogotá a modern, networked fighter that is not tied to a U.S. supply chain.
Swedish defense group Saab confirmed in Stockholm that it has signed a 3.1 billion euro contract with the Colombian government for 17 Gripen E/F fighters, a landmark deal that will rebuild the Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana’s fast jet fleet and deepen long-term political, industrial, and social ties between Bogotá and Stockholm.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Colombia signs a 3.1 billion euro deal for 17 Saab Gripen E/F fighters, replacing Kfirs and tying airpower renewal to industrial and social projects with Sweden. (Picture source: Saab)
For more than a decade, Bogotá has been seeking a successor to its Kfir, successively comparing Dassault’s Rafale and Lockheed Martin’s F-16 before converging, in early 2025, on the Swedish proposal. The announcement of a target fleet of 16 to 24 Gripen aircraft places the decision in a long-term planning process designed to ensure air policing and the protection of national airspace as the Kfirs are gradually retired. The deterioration of diplomatic relations with Israel in 2024 already complicates the maintenance of these aircraft and adds weight to the choice of a European supplier. With the formal signature of the contract, the FAC can now organise a phased transition in which the legacy aircraft remain in service only as the Gripens enter frontline units.
The structure of the agreement broadly follows the pattern already applied by Saab in Brazil. The contract, signed on 15 November, covers 17 aircraft, a set of weapons, associated equipment, training, and a support package spread over the entire delivery period. For the Swedish company, this is one of its largest defence export contracts. In parallel, Saab and the Colombian government conclude two offset agreements that define the framework for industrial and technological cooperation. The aim is to give Colombian institutions a lasting role in operating, maintaining, and upgrading the Gripen fleet, beyond the simple reception of completed aircraft.
The content of these offsets goes beyond the purely military field and fits into a broader narrative linking security and development. The framework mentions projects in aeronautics, cyber security, health, sustainable energy, and water treatment technologies, while Colombian political leaders already highlight potential in solar production, access to drinking water, and hospital modernisation. For the Colombian defence industrial and technological base (BITD), the prospect is to move from the status of user of imported systems to that of partner involved in in-depth maintenance, software adaptation, and, in time, subassembly manufacturing, even though the precise share of local work has not yet been specified.
On the technical side, the Gripen E/F variant selected by Colombia belongs to the latest “E-series” generation developed for Sweden and Brazil. The aircraft is powered by a General Electric F414-GE-39E turbofan of around 98 kN of thrust, derived from the F414 family, which provides roughly a quarter more thrust than the earlier F404 engines and allows solid performance in hot and high conditions over the Andes. The slightly enlarged airframe carries more internal fuel and offers 10 external hardpoints for around 7,200 kg of payload, complemented by an internal 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon with 120 rounds on the single-seat version. This relatively compact configuration enables the FAC to combine range, endurance, and payload for air policing, maritime patrol, and precision strike missions.
An important factor in the choice also lies in the sensor architecture. The Gripen E is equipped with a Raven ES-05 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, developed with Leonardo, mounted on a repositionable antenna that provides a search sector of about ±100 degrees and improves detection capability during manoeuvre. This radar is paired with the Skyward-G infrared search and track (IRST) system, which allows passive detection of aircraft and missiles without radar emissions, and with a dense set of electronic warfare systems feeding the wide-area cockpit display. For the Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana (FAC), this combination supports the construction of a recognised air picture and a robust common operational picture (COP), including in a contested electromagnetic environment.
The armament options offered by the platform correspond to Colombia’s requirements for regional air superiority. The Gripen E can carry the Meteor long-range air-to-air missile, whose ramjet propulsion and publicly stated range close to 200 km provide a large no-escape zone compared with previous generations. At shorter distances, missiles such as IRIS-T or AIM-9 provide high off-boresight engagement capability, while the aircraft can also employ AGM-65 Maverick missiles, guided bombs, and RBS-15 anti-ship missiles for air-to-surface and maritime missions. For the FAC, a single squadron can shift within days from air policing over the Amazon or Andean corridors to sea-control tasks in the Caribbean or along the Pacific coast without changing aircraft type.
At the tactical and operational levels, the Gripen concept is designed around flexibility and survivability. The aircraft is intended for dispersed operations from short or only partially prepared runways, with small teams able to carry out turnarounds in a few minutes. This approach fits Colombia’s network of secondary airfields and reduces vulnerability to a surprise strike on a single main base. A 360-degree electronic warfare suite, combined with IRST and low-emission tactics, allows operations under strict emissions control (EMCON) while still feeding the recognised maritime picture (RMP) and the COP via secure data links. Integrated with ground-based radars and air-defence systems, the Gripen E/F functions simultaneously as a fighter, a mobile sensor, and an electronic warfare platform within the national air-defence network.
For the Colombian defence industrial and technological base (BITD), the Gripen programme is also a tool for transferring skills and upgrading the workforce. The Brazilian experience, where an assembly line and an engineering ecosystem have formed around the F-39E, shows that even a more limited industrial share can generate lasting expertise in software, systems integration and mission data support. Colombian engineers and pilots will be trained on a platform compatible with NATO standards, which facilitates participation in joint exercises with regional partners and European air forces. In the medium term, the Gripen fleet can be networked with ground-based surveillance assets and medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones to build a more coherent air and maritime surveillance posture.
With this contract, Bogotá joins a community of Gripen users that already includes Sweden, Brazil, and Thailand, and reinforces the presence of a non-U.S. fighter option in a market largely dominated by the F-16 and, increasingly, the F-35. The decision also strengthens Sweden’s position in Latin America at a time when Stockholm is redefining its role within NATO, creating an additional link between Nordic defence industries and South American partners. For Colombia, the arrival of the Gripen E/F means that the next decade of airpower will rest on a modern, network-centric fighter that can support sovereignty, deter pressure on its airspace and maritime approaches, and give Bogotá greater strategic autonomy in balancing European, North American, and regional suppliers.
