Colombia Officially Signs for Saab Gripen E/F – A New Era for Latin American Air Power Begins
After nearly seven years of evaluations, political twists, and fierce competition, the deal is done. On November 15, 2025, Colombia formally signed the contract to acquire the Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F, instantly becoming the second South American nation after Brazil to operate the latest-generation Swedish fighter. The signing ceremony in Bogotá, attended by Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson and his Colombian counterpart Iván Velásquez, puts an end to one of the most closely watched fighter contests of the decade.
This US $3.7 billion program covers 12 single-seat Gripen E and 4 twin-seat Gripen F aircraft, with options for up to eight more, plus a comprehensive 20-year support package, weapons, simulators, training, and a massive offset/industrial participation commitment worth over 40 % of the contract value.
For the Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana – FAC), the arrival of the Gripen means finally retiring the legendary but exhausted IAI Kfir fleet that has guarded Colombian skies since 1989. The Kfirs fought guerrillas, chased narco-jets, and even stared down Venezuelan Su-30s during the tense 2019–2021 border crisis. Now the “Leones” will hand the baton to the Griffin.
What sealed the deal for Saab against the Dassault Rafale and Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70/72? A combination that was simply too good to refuse:
- Lowest operating cost in the competition (30–40 % cheaper per flight hour than the rivals)
- Ability to operate from short, austere bases deep in the Amazon when needed
- No U.S. Congressional oversight or end-use restrictions
- Immediate interoperability with Brazil’s growing Gripen fleet
- Open architecture that lets Colombia integrate its own or third-party weapons in the future
- A generous technology-transfer and local industry package
The Colombian Gripens will come loaded: Meteor and IRIS-T missiles, RBS-15 anti-ship missiles, Litening 5 targeting pods, the cutting-edge AREXIS electronic warfare suite (the same one Germany just ordered for its Eurofighter EK), and full Link 16/satellite connectivity.
First deliveries are scheduled for late 2028, with the fleet reaching full operational capability around 2031. Colombian pilots will start conversion training in Sweden as early as 2026, and Saab has committed to building a state-of-the-art training center with full-motion simulators at Palanquero Air Base.
The regional message is loud and clear: you no longer need to buy American or Russian to get a world-class fighter. Brazil is thrilled about the new level of cooperation, while Venezuela now faces a Colombian Air Force that can outrange and outsmart its Su-30s with ease.
For aviation fans across Latin America, the countdown to seeing those gray Griffins with the Colombian roundel has officially begun.
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