Saab Aims to Produce 36 Gripen Fighter Jets Per Year

Saab plans to significantly expand production capacity for the new E/F series Gripen fighters to meet global demand.

The head of marketing for the Gripen program said the company is currently targeting an assembly rate of up to 36 aircraft per year, FlightGlobal reports.

He added that, given the growing order book and current tenders, production could exceed 36 aircraft annually in the future.

However, he did not provide specific figures. A significant portion of these production capacities is expected to be located outside Saab’s main factory in Sweden.

Localization of Gripen

The Brazilian factory, operated by Embraer in partnership with Saab, is expected to deliver its first aircraft to Brazil in the first quarter of this year.

Additional orders from Thailand, Colombia, and Sweden give Saab a sufficient “safety margin” to compete in other potential tenders — in Portugal, the Philippines, and Ukraine.

At the same time, the biggest question mark remains Canada, where the government is reviewing plans to purchase 88 American F-35A fighters.

Although Ottawa has committed to buying at least 16 F-35A jets, the future of the remaining aircraft is uncertain.

In this context, Saab has proposed localizing production in Canada, in partnership with a domestic company — following the model used in Brazil.

Saab also notes that the expansion of production is already underway, regardless of Ottawa’s final decision.

Ukraine also plans to localize Gripen production starting in 2033.

The project could encompass a wide range of activities — from large-scale assembly to the manufacture of individual components.