In an interview with Dagens Industri (DI), Saab’s chief executive, Micael Johansson, confirmed that the company is engaged in discussions with the Philippines regarding the Gripen multirole fighter. He noted during the interview that while Manila’s process is not as advanced as others, it is ongoing and closely linked to Thailand’s decision to order additional Gripens.
Johansson highlighted that the Philippines monitors Thailand’s defense modernization closely because of their close ties, suggesting that Bangkok’s recent procurement and operational use of the Gripen may influence Manila’s decision-making. His comments placed the Philippines alongside other Southeast Asian states where Saab sees potential future interest in the Gripen.
The Philippines’ path to evaluating the Gripen has involved multiple steps since Saab announced its intent to open an office in Manila in 2016 to support a campaign for 12 multirole fighters. The company renewed its sales effort in 2018, offering Gripen C/D MS20 aircraft in competition with the F-16V Block 70/72 from the United States. In November 2022, Sweden’s Export Control Council approved potential exports of Gripens to the Philippines, reversing an earlier rejection.
By June 2023, Manila and Stockholm signed a memorandum of understanding on defense materiel cooperation during the Shangri-La Dialogue and signed by Acting Philippine Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson, which created a framework for the possible supply of 12 Gripen C/D MS20 aircraft to the Philippine Air Force. These developments showed that Manila was seriously considering Saab’s offer, although no contract was signed, as Manila’s evaluation process has frequently narrowed the competition to a choice between Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and Saab’s Gripen.
Johansson’s comments coincide with Thailand’s new order of four Gripen E/F fighters, worth approximately $583 million, which was announced on August 25, 2025. The contract covers three single-seat Gripen E aircraft and one dual-seat Gripen F, to be delivered between 2025 and 2030, together with training, equipment, support, and a long-term offset arrangement involving technology transfer and industrial cooperation. Thailand already operates a squadron of Gripen C/D aircraft delivered between 2011 and 2013, and the new E/F models will be integrated into this existing fleet. The Royal Thai Air Force employed its Gripens in combat for the first time on July 26, 2025, during clashes on the Cambodian border, marking the first operational use of the aircraft by Thailand. Saab’s leadership could therefore be hopeful that this combat experience, combined with the mixed C/D and E/F fleet in Thailand, will strengthen the Gripen’s position in Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines.
Despite these developments, no binding agreement has been signed to date. Financing remains a central obstacle for Manila, as government departments continue discussions on how to fund a potential deal. Reports in 2024 and 2025 noted that Sweden’s export credit system could play a role in facilitating the transaction, but Philippine authorities have yet to finalize their decision. The Gripen’s appeal lies not only in technical and operational performance but also in its industrial cooperation potential, which has proven decisive in other countries such as Peru.
On July 2, 2025, Peruvian officials confirmed the acquisition of 24 Gripen E/F fighters at a cost of $3.5 billion in a two-phase plan. The first phase, valued at $2 billion, is supported by a domestic loan included in the 2025 national budget, while the second $1.5 billion phase is scheduled for 2026.
Delivery is planned within 24 months of contract signing, with at least two aircraft expected in time for the Peruvian Air Force anniversary in July 2026. Saab’s offer was chosen over the F-16 Block 70 and Rafale F4 primarily because of lower unit costs of about $110–120 million, shorter delivery schedules compared to up to 60 months for competitors, and favorable offset terms including direct and indirect investments.
The variants of the Gripen that seem to interest the Philippines, the Gripen C (single-seat) and D (two-seat), were introduced in Swedish service from 2005. They feature digital fly-by-wire controls, updated cockpits with modern displays, and in-flight refueling capability, with users inside and outside NATO. The aircraft are about 14.10 m long, 8.40 m in wingspan, 4.50 m in height, and can reach a maximum takeoff weight of roughly 14,000 kg. They are powered by the Volvo Aero RM12 turbofan engine, a derivative of the GE F404, producing around 80.5 kN of thrust with afterburner.
Performance includes speeds of over Mach 2 at altitude and about 1,400 km/h at sea level, a ceiling of around 15,240 m, a combat radius of roughly 800 km, and a ferry range up to 3,000 km. They sustain load factors from –3g to +9g and can be turned around for combat in about ten minutes. Gripen C/D aircraft carry eight hardpoints plus a 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon, and can be armed with AIM-9/IRIS-T short-range missiles, AMRAAM or MICA medium-range missiles, Meteor BVR missiles, Maverick and Paveway II guided munitions, Mk 82 bombs, BK-90 submunitions, and RBS-15F or Taurus KEPD 350 anti-ship missiles. Avionics include the Ericsson-GEC Marconi PS-05/A radar, NATO-standard Link 16 datalink, and integrated sensor fusion. The design supports dispersed operations from 800 m by 16 m runways or road bases with limited support equipment, emphasizing high availability and ease of maintenance.
The more modern Gripen E, for its part, is powered by the General Electric F414G engine producing 98 kN of thrust, with a maximum takeoff weight of 16,500 kilograms, a delta-canard design, ten hardpoints, and the ability to operate from runways of 500–600 meters. It carries a Mauser BK27 cannon on the E variant, while the F variant omits it for a second crew seat. It can employ up to seven Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles, two IRIS-T short-range missiles, and a wide range of guided bombs and reconnaissance pods. It incorporates the ES-05 Raven AESA radar, infrared search and track, and a full-spectrum electronic warfare suite with 360-degree coverage.
In May and June 2025, Saab tested Helsing’s Centaur artificial intelligence system on a production-standard Gripen E in Swedish civilian airspace, marking the first confirmed AI-controlled sorties in beyond-visual-range conditions. These trials demonstrated embedded AI functions for manoeuvres, targeting, and decision support, using reinforcement learning that simulated hundreds of thousands of flight hours. Sweden is also modernizing Gripen C/D aircraft with MS20 Block 3 standards while inducting Gripen E/F, aligning with NATO requirements for electronic warfare and integrated operations.
Saab’s regional sales momentum in Asia could be reinforced by parallel acquisitions elsewhere, as in 2025 alone, Colombia, Peru, and Thailand confirmed Gripen E/F orders. Sweden and Brazil are the principal operators of the Gripen E/F, while Hungary, the Czech Republic, South Africa, and Thailand continue to fly the C/D variants. Colombia announced its decision to acquire the Gripen E/F in April 2025 to replace its Kfir fleet, citing technology transfer and favorable financing terms. The United Kingdom operates a Gripen D for training at the Empire Test Pilots’ School, while Canada and Portugal has evaluated the aircraft for future NATO interoperability.
For the Philippines, the next phase in Manila’s decision will depend on whether funding can be secured and whether Filipino defense authorities move beyond exploratory talks into concrete negotiations, as the Gripen remains under active consideration alongside the F-16. But Saab’s leadership has positioned Thailand’s new order and regional use as a potential catalyst, while Manila continues to weigh its options within the framework of its modernization program.
© 2025, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
