Colombia will get 15 Gripen E single-seater and two Gripen F twin-seater fighters, to be delivered between 2026 and 2032.
Saab announced it has signed the contract with Colombia for the acquisition of the Gripen E/F, after the selection in April 2025. The contract, signed on Nov. 15, 2025, includes 15 Gripen E single-seater and two Gripen F twin-seater fighters, as well as associated equipment and weapons, training and services.
The order is valued €3.1 billion (USD3.6 billion), with the deliveries of the 17 aircraft planned between 2026 and 2032. Additionally, Saab and the Colombian Government also signed two offset agreements for both military and social projects, including aeronautics, cyber security, health, sustainable energy and water purification technology.
“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.”
— Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
Gripen and Colombia
The selection and acquisition of the Gripen E/F by Colombia follows nearly two years of speculations and unconfirmed reports. Colombian President Gustavo Petro personally announced the decision on social media, with a letter of intent signed by his office, the Swedish Ambassador Helena Storm and Saab representatives.
Petro said at the time the acquisition would improve the “strategic air defense of Colombia.” Details about the deal were not released back then, although the President noted “the fleet of aircraft to be acquired is completely new, with the latest technology, already deployed in Brazil, and is a Saab 39 Gripen brand.”
This deal makes Colombia the seventh international user of the Saab Gripen, joining the manufacturer’s country Sweden, Brazil, Czech Republic, Hungary, Thailand and South Africa. Both Swedish government’s and Saab’s officials welcomed the news about the selection.
“With the Colombian purchase of 17 Gripen E/F, our defence relations will deepen significantly & Colombia will receive one of the world’s greatest fighter jets,” Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson wrote on X.
Once in service in the Colombian Air Force, the Gripens will replace the 20 old IAI (Israeli Aerospace Industries) Kfir jets acquired in the 1980s. The service first attempted to replace them in 2022, when Colombia held talks with both Saab and Dassault Aviation, although aiming at a smaller order.
The Gripen E/F
The Gripen E is a significantly modernized variant of Sweden’s indigenously produced Gripen fighter jet. Powered by the powerful GE F414G engine – providing 20% more thrust than the Gripen C’s RM12 engine, it is also equipped with a brand-new AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, IRST (Infrared Search and Track) system, and EW (Electronic Warfare) systems.
With 10 hardpoints for carrying various munitions, it is almost an entirely new platform, featuring a new avionics architecture with data-fusion capabilities, a wide-area cockpit display, and open mission systems. Externally, the aircraft is much similar to its predecessors, with the IRST in front of the cockpit and the wingtip rails being the main differentiators.
As part of the Gripen E/F series, there is also a project called Gripen Maritime. This project is intended as a future carrier-based fighter for both STOBAR (Short Take Off Barrier Arrested Landing) and CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take Off Barrier Arrested Landing) operations.
Thailand recently became the fourth nation to officially choose the new Gripen variant, after Sweden, Brazil, and Colombia. Compared to the original Gripen, the E/F has had relatively slow sales, with 60 jets acquired by Sweden, 36 by Brazil, up to 24 by Colombia and 12 by Thailand. Peru is also in talks to acquire the jet.
