Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Did Sweden, a Gripen developer, choose to buy F-35s or consider them alongside Gripen, and when?
Executive summary
Sweden is the developer and producer of the Saab JAS 39 Gripen and has continued to promote that fighter abroad while retaining it as a core national type; recent reporting shows Sweden (and Saab) actively pitching the Gripen to countries reconsidering F-35 buys — notably Canada in 2025 where Ottawa has reviewed an 88‑jet F‑35 plan after ordering 16 [1] [2]. Available sources do not mention Sweden itself choosing to buy the F‑35; they describe Sweden developing, operating and exporting the Gripen and Saab courting F‑35 customers [3] [2] [1].
1. Sweden’s Gripen: the home‑grown fighter Sweden kept and exported
Sweden developed the JAS‑39 Gripen as its multirole fighter and continues to operate and upgrade that fleet while exporting variants (Gripen C/D, E/F) to other countries; Wikipedia’s Gripen entry and defense press note the type’s deliveries and ongoing Saab development work [3] [4]. Sweden has not been reported in the provided sources as switching to the Lockheed Martin F‑35; instead, the coverage treats the Gripen as Sweden’s indigenous platform and export product [3].
2. Where the F‑35 appears in the story: buyer, rival and covenant with allies
The F‑35 appears in the sources chiefly as the American fifth‑generation competitor that many NATO and allied air forces have bought; Canada in particular has a 2023 deal to acquire 88 F‑35s with 16 in production and that procurement was under review in 2025 [3] [1]. Reporting frames the F‑35 as the incumbent choice for interoperability reasons and as the aircraft some former officials defend when other offers arise [5] [6].
3. Sweden (and Saab) actively pitching Gripen to nations reconsidering F‑35s — Canada as a case study
Multiple outlets show Saab and Swedish officials taking an overt role in offering the Gripen as an alternative to the F‑35 for countries reassessing purchases. A Swedish delegation including high‑level figures visited Canada to promote Gripen coproduction and industrial offsets, and Saab’s CEO said the company could have Canadian Gripen jets flying in three to five years if Ottawa chose that path [2] [1]. Coverage quotes Canadian ministers and industry voices saying Saab has proposed local assembly and jobs as inducements [1] [2].
4. Timing: when Sweden/Gripen entered the F‑35 debate (as reflected in reporting)
The sources show that the debate intensified in 2025 as Canada reviewed its F‑35 procurement (Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government reexamined the deal in March 2025) and Saab revived pitches and production proposals thereafter; Saab’s outreach, high‑level Swedish visits, and public statements occurred through 2025 up to November in the cited articles [7] [2] [1]. The reporting does not indicate Sweden ever considered buying F‑35s itself during this period [3].
5. Claims and counterclaims in the coverage — interoperability, cost, and industrial policy
Pro‑F‑35 voices cited in the coverage argue the F‑35’s advanced stealth and interoperability make it superior and caution against mixed fleets or switching suppliers [5] [6]. Saab and Swedish officials counter with arguments about cost, rapid delivery, ease of maintenance and offers of local jobs and production that appeal to procurement ministers worried about industrial benefits and trade frictions [4] [1] [2]. The reporting shows these are political as well as technical debates: industrial offsets and geopolitics (e.g., tariffs, relations with the U.S.) figure prominently [2] [7].
6. What the available sources do not say (important limits)
Available sources do not mention Sweden itself choosing to buy F‑35s or seriously considering replacing its Gripen with the F‑35; they focus on Sweden/Saab as exporter and political actor rather than F‑35 purchaser [3] [2]. They also do not provide a definitive procurement decision from Canada as of the latest pieces cited; rather, reporting shows Canada reviewing or reconsidering parts of its F‑35 plan while Saab and Sweden make offers [1] [6].
7. Why this matters: alliances, supply security and industrial leverage
The articles frame fighter procurement as more than a technical aircraft choice: nations weigh alliance interoperability, long supply chains for sustainment, industrial jobs and potential leverage if political relations sour with a supplier. That dynamic explains why Saab’s local‑production pitch and Sweden’s diplomatic outreach became prominent when Canada reviewed its F‑35 commitment in 2025 [2] [1] [7].
Conclusion — direct answer to your question: In the available reporting, Sweden is the Gripen developer and exporter and did not itself choose the F‑35; rather, in 2025 Sweden and Saab actively promoted the Gripen as an alternative where buyers (notably Canada) were reconsidering or reviewing F‑35 purchases or orders, with significant diplomatic and industrial outreach occurring through 2025 [3] [2] [1].