Saab has given Canada a detailed plan for domestic Gripen E production, as Ottawa continues reviewing the size and composition of its planned 88-aircraft F-35 fleet.
In remarks reported by Militär Aktuell and FlightGlobal from a media briefing held alongside the Swedish Air Force centenary air show at Malmen Air Base in Linköping, Sweden, on August 22, 2026, Saab President and Chief Executive Officer Micael Johansson said the company had outlined to the Canadian government how a production line could be established.
Johansson argued that the two fighters could form a so-called “high-low mix,” combining the F-35’s specialized capabilities with the Gripen’s high availability, smaller logistical footprint and ability to operate from a wider range of airfields and improvised bases.
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For Canada to possess some F-35s would not do much.
Canada would also need to maintain them if conflict arises. Non-trivial, if the US is both the source of software updates and spare parts, and also the aggressor against which Canada needs to defend.
Re: Russia as the aggressor, F-35 is also a risk because POTUS and VP might side partly or wholly with Russia, e.g. refusing/limiting US arms to countries fighting Russia.
Gripen has none of those problems.
Numbers are also important. How many Gripen provide similar protection as one F35? How hard/easy is it to perform maintenance and keep in the air? “Duty cycle” of the hardware.
I often read comments about ww2, where Germany has rhe best tanks “on paper”, but could not produce enough units to be usefull.