Swedish Parliament authorizes negotiations with Peru for potential sale of 12 Gripen E/F fighter jets
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On June 11, 2025, the Swedish Parliament (also known as the Riksdag) approved the government’s Spring Amending Budget for 2025, which includes authorization for the Swedish state to enter into a government-to-government agreement with Peru for the sale of up to 12 Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F multirole fighter jets. The decision follows a proposal submitted in April by the Swedish government and grants legal authority for the procurement and export of the equipment, with the expectation that revenues from the Peruvian contract will cover the corresponding state expenditures. The inclusion of the Gripen-related provision in the budget reflects Peru’s preference for intergovernmental defense procurement structures and allows Sweden to proceed with formal negotiations should Peru select the Gripen E/F platform.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Saab’s delivery timeline for the Gripen is estimated at 24 months, whereas its competitors, such as the French Rafale and the American F-16, have proposed 60 months (Picture source: Swedish MoD)
Peru’s Ministry of Defense and the Fuerza Aérea del Perú (FAP) plan to replace their current Mirage 2000P and MiG-29 fleets through the acquisition of 24 new fighters. These will be procured in two stages, each consisting of 12 aircraft. The first batch is financed by a $2 billion loan from Banco de la Nación and has already been included in the 2025 national budget, while the second batch is scheduled for 2026 with an allocated budget of $1.5 billion. According to official statements, the same manufacturer will be selected for both lots to ensure logistical and operational consistency. The Gripen E/F is being considered alongside the Dassault Rafale F4 and Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70. No contract has yet been signed, and the final selection process remains ongoing. The FAP has confirmed that the evaluation includes technical, operational, economic, and logistical criteria, and that the final approval must pass through multiple levels including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Defense, and the President of the Republic. Oversight is being conducted by the Contraloría General de la República.
Saab has conducted multiple meetings in Lima with Peruvian officials as part of the evaluation process. On June 10, 2025, executives from Saab, including Klas Forsman, Christer Olsson, and Ewa Nowaczewska, met with Víctor Pomar, Director of Industrial and Social Offsets at the Ministry of Defense. The following day, Saab’s Head of Sales for Latin America, Andrés Vélez, met with FAP Commander General Carlos Chávez Cateriano for approximately two hours. Discussions focused on Saab’s proposed offset package, which includes industrial cooperation and partial technology transfer. Saab has a history of such arrangements in Peru, including the co-production of CB90-class fast patrol boats with the state-owned shipyard SIMA. The latest agreement involves a Knock Down Kit from Docksta Shipyard for final assembly of a fifth CB90 vessel in Chimbote, with Saab technical personnel such as Oskar Nordlund previously stationed in Peru for extended support.
The Gripen E/F is a 4.5-generation fighter jet equipped with the Raven ES-05 AESA radar, General Electric F414G engine, electronic warfare suite, and a modular avionics system. Its technical specifications include a maximum takeoff weight of 16,500 kg, combat radius of 1,303 km, ferry range of 4,000 km, and a top speed of Mach 2. The aircraft features short takeoff and landing capabilities, with requirements of 500 m for takeoff and 600 m for landing. It is compatible with a wide array of air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions, including Meteor, IRIS-T, Sidewinder AIM-9X, Taurus KEPD 350, AGM-65 Maverick, and guided bombs of the GBU and Mk-80 series. The aircraft is also armed with a 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon. Saab markets the platform as capable of performing air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions. The two-seat Gripen F variant, primarily developed for Brazil, remains under development and has not yet conducted its first flight.
Critics in the Peruvian defense community say that the Gripen E/F remains untested in actual combat operations, and that previous versions, such as the Gripen C/D, have been used for patrol and training but have not seen high-intensity conflict. Saab’s industrial model in Brazil, where Embraer handles local production and support, is proposed as a framework for potential implementation in Peru. While the geographical proximity to Brazil may reduce logistical lead times, it also introduces potential exposure to regional instability. Peruvian defense analysts and some military sources have highlighted these considerations during the evaluation phase. Nonetheless, Saab continues to emphasize its willingness to include offset investments in non-defense sectors, as part of its broader compensation mechanism.
During the SITDEF 2025 exhibition in Lima, Saab presented a full-scale replica of the Gripen E with Brazilian markings and offered a flight simulator experience for operational demonstration. The exhibition also featured the RBS 70NG short-range air defense system, Giraffe 1X and Sea Giraffe radars, and Saab’s air traffic management solutions. Saab officials have indicated that the offered package to Peru includes both the aircraft and additional defense systems, although specific types of air defense equipment have not been publicly disclosed. According to Saab’s local representatives, the offset agreement under negotiation involves both direct and indirect investments, potentially spanning sectors outside defense. Saab’s prior agreements with SIMA and offset experience in other countries are presented as part of its offer to strengthen Peru’s local industrial base.
The financial details of the competing offers have been partially reported. According to Colombian media, Saab has proposed a per-unit price between $110 and $120 million, while Rafale and F-16 offers reportedly range between $170–240 million per aircraft. Saab’s delivery timeline is estimated at 24 months, whereas its competitors have proposed 60 months. Peru has requested that whichever company is awarded the contract be able to provide two aircraft for static or operational display by July 23, 2026, the anniversary of the FAP. Saab has not publicly confirmed whether it can meet this timeline. As of late June 2025, the Peruvian government has not selected a supplier, and the evaluation process remains ongoing. If the Gripen E/F is selected, Peru would become the third Latin American country to operate the type, following Brazil and Colombia, and could potentially engage in future regional cooperation for training, maintenance, and logistics.
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On June 11, 2025, the Swedish Parliament (also known as the Riksdag) approved the government’s Spring Amending Budget for 2025, which includes authorization for the Swedish state to enter into a government-to-government agreement with Peru for the sale of up to 12 Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F multirole fighter jets. The decision follows a proposal submitted in April by the Swedish government and grants legal authority for the procurement and export of the equipment, with the expectation that revenues from the Peruvian contract will cover the corresponding state expenditures. The inclusion of the Gripen-related provision in the budget reflects Peru’s preference for intergovernmental defense procurement structures and allows Sweden to proceed with formal negotiations should Peru select the Gripen E/F platform.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Saab’s delivery timeline for the Gripen is estimated at 24 months, whereas its competitors, such as the French Rafale and the American F-16, have proposed 60 months (Picture source: Swedish MoD)
Peru’s Ministry of Defense and the Fuerza Aérea del Perú (FAP) plan to replace their current Mirage 2000P and MiG-29 fleets through the acquisition of 24 new fighters. These will be procured in two stages, each consisting of 12 aircraft. The first batch is financed by a $2 billion loan from Banco de la Nación and has already been included in the 2025 national budget, while the second batch is scheduled for 2026 with an allocated budget of $1.5 billion. According to official statements, the same manufacturer will be selected for both lots to ensure logistical and operational consistency. The Gripen E/F is being considered alongside the Dassault Rafale F4 and Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70. No contract has yet been signed, and the final selection process remains ongoing. The FAP has confirmed that the evaluation includes technical, operational, economic, and logistical criteria, and that the final approval must pass through multiple levels including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Defense, and the President of the Republic. Oversight is being conducted by the Contraloría General de la República.
Saab has conducted multiple meetings in Lima with Peruvian officials as part of the evaluation process. On June 10, 2025, executives from Saab, including Klas Forsman, Christer Olsson, and Ewa Nowaczewska, met with Víctor Pomar, Director of Industrial and Social Offsets at the Ministry of Defense. The following day, Saab’s Head of Sales for Latin America, Andrés Vélez, met with FAP Commander General Carlos Chávez Cateriano for approximately two hours. Discussions focused on Saab’s proposed offset package, which includes industrial cooperation and partial technology transfer. Saab has a history of such arrangements in Peru, including the co-production of CB90-class fast patrol boats with the state-owned shipyard SIMA. The latest agreement involves a Knock Down Kit from Docksta Shipyard for final assembly of a fifth CB90 vessel in Chimbote, with Saab technical personnel such as Oskar Nordlund previously stationed in Peru for extended support.
The Gripen E/F is a 4.5-generation fighter jet equipped with the Raven ES-05 AESA radar, General Electric F414G engine, electronic warfare suite, and a modular avionics system. Its technical specifications include a maximum takeoff weight of 16,500 kg, combat radius of 1,303 km, ferry range of 4,000 km, and a top speed of Mach 2. The aircraft features short takeoff and landing capabilities, with requirements of 500 m for takeoff and 600 m for landing. It is compatible with a wide array of air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions, including Meteor, IRIS-T, Sidewinder AIM-9X, Taurus KEPD 350, AGM-65 Maverick, and guided bombs of the GBU and Mk-80 series. The aircraft is also armed with a 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon. Saab markets the platform as capable of performing air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions. The two-seat Gripen F variant, primarily developed for Brazil, remains under development and has not yet conducted its first flight.
Critics in the Peruvian defense community say that the Gripen E/F remains untested in actual combat operations, and that previous versions, such as the Gripen C/D, have been used for patrol and training but have not seen high-intensity conflict. Saab’s industrial model in Brazil, where Embraer handles local production and support, is proposed as a framework for potential implementation in Peru. While the geographical proximity to Brazil may reduce logistical lead times, it also introduces potential exposure to regional instability. Peruvian defense analysts and some military sources have highlighted these considerations during the evaluation phase. Nonetheless, Saab continues to emphasize its willingness to include offset investments in non-defense sectors, as part of its broader compensation mechanism.
During the SITDEF 2025 exhibition in Lima, Saab presented a full-scale replica of the Gripen E with Brazilian markings and offered a flight simulator experience for operational demonstration. The exhibition also featured the RBS 70NG short-range air defense system, Giraffe 1X and Sea Giraffe radars, and Saab’s air traffic management solutions. Saab officials have indicated that the offered package to Peru includes both the aircraft and additional defense systems, although specific types of air defense equipment have not been publicly disclosed. According to Saab’s local representatives, the offset agreement under negotiation involves both direct and indirect investments, potentially spanning sectors outside defense. Saab’s prior agreements with SIMA and offset experience in other countries are presented as part of its offer to strengthen Peru’s local industrial base.
The financial details of the competing offers have been partially reported. According to Colombian media, Saab has proposed a per-unit price between $110 and $120 million, while Rafale and F-16 offers reportedly range between $170–240 million per aircraft. Saab’s delivery timeline is estimated at 24 months, whereas its competitors have proposed 60 months. Peru has requested that whichever company is awarded the contract be able to provide two aircraft for static or operational display by July 23, 2026, the anniversary of the FAP. Saab has not publicly confirmed whether it can meet this timeline. As of late June 2025, the Peruvian government has not selected a supplier, and the evaluation process remains ongoing. If the Gripen E/F is selected, Peru would become the third Latin American country to operate the type, following Brazil and Colombia, and could potentially engage in future regional cooperation for training, maintenance, and logistics.
