Aircraft
Canada’s Fighter Debate Reopens Door for Gripen
Targeted rate of 36 units a year dependant on increased industrial collaboration
Gripen E
One of the Gripen E program’s major 2025 highlights was the first firing of a Meteor air-to-air missile, undertaken by a Brazilian F-39E. © Saab

Commenting on the speculation that Canada might revise its plans to acquire a fleet consisting entirely of F-35s, Mikael Franzén, Saab chief marketing officer for the Gripen multirole fighter, said his company is “responding to questions.” Advocating for the combined strength of a potential mixed fleet, Franzén said, “Gripen is strong on availability and adaptability and would give combat mass to Canada.”

The revised selection—which could see some 72 of 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 orders canceled by Canada—could be more than a pointed statement on U.S. President Donald Trump’s increasingly fractious foreign policy. As for the financial burden, “of course, you will be able to procure more Gripens than F-35s, so it’s a significant cost difference," Franzén said, “but also the operational cost is significantly better on the Gripen.”

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