Saab has signed a $307.1 million contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration for additional equipment to support Sweden’s Gripen E fighter aircraft production.
According to Saab, the new order will allow the country to maintain full operational capability of its current Gripen C/D fighters while also preparing to deploy the next-generation Gripen Es. Sweden had originally planned to reuse equipment from the older C/D jets to support the new aircraft. The latest contract, however, secures brand-new equipment for the 60 Gripen E aircraft Sweden has ordered.
“This contract ensures full availability of the Gripen C/D fleet and at the same time enables Gripen E to be introduced into the Swedish Armed Forces with new equipment, securing its operational life for decades to come,” Lars Tossman, head of Saab’s aeronautics business, said in a statement.
In April 2024, Saab received a $49.8 million order to continue developing Gripen fighter capabilities, providing operational support for test aircraft, simulators and other essential systems. Saab said the agreement would benefit the Swedish military and Gripen’s international users.
The contract is the latest among major defense orders Sweden has placed with Saab in recent months. These include a $146 million contract for the supply of Giraffe 4A mobile radar systems and a $135 million agreement for additional lightweight torpedoes and torpedo tubes for the Swedish Armed Forces’ ships, submarines and helicopters.