Saab JAS 39 Gripen

Czech ministers approved spending 11.3 billion Czech koruna ($490 million) for a pair of C-390s on Oct. 2.

Lockheed is not giving up on the Royal Thai Air Force F-16A/B replacement program, despite the service already saying it has selected the Saab JAS 39E/F Gripen.

Stockholm wants to raise the defense budget by 13 billion Swedish krona ($1.28 billion), ministers announced Sept. 17.

No plans are yet in place for a handover of Gripen fighters to Kyiv.

Latin America may be on the verge—or even in the midst of—a generational overhaul of military aviation, as operators are rife with aging fleets that will need replacing as soon as budgets allow.

By 2034, the in-service fleet of Saab JAS 39E/F Gripens will have grown to 130, with the Thailand sale potentially raising that total by 12 to 14 aircraft.

Thailand’s fighter decision shifts focus to the Philippines and Colombia in Saab’s drive to bolster the Gripen E/F orderbook.

The service also highlighted the RTAF’s autonomy in employing the Swedish fighter without the country of origin’s permission.

The Royal Thai Air Force's decision on its next fighter aircraft could be forced into a holding pattern after lawmakers appointed a new prime minister.

Sweden’s Defense Material Administration, known as FMV, could have personnel in Ukraine this fall.

The U.S. and Sweden are dangling incentives to secure combat aircraft orders in Thailand and the Philippines.

The financing deal would help fund a “once-in-a-generation investment” in the Filipino armed forces, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in Manila.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

The Swedish Air Force has begun a study into the possibility of launching a satellite from its Saab Gripen fighter aircraft.

Sweden plans to contribute to NATO air missions including the Baltic Air Policing operation performed by allies from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The agreement was signed May 17 at the Swedish embassy in Manila.

Sweden’s Cold War doctrine of road runway operations has come back into vogue in the face of a renewed Russian threat.

Saab is preparing to fly an uncrewed aircraft system demonstrator that could support efforts to develop a future combat aircraft.

LINKOPING, Sweden—The first flight of Saab’s twin-seat Gripen F has been pushed into 2025, following a change in the priorities of the Brazilian Air Force customer.

With Saab facing significant headwinds in large western markets, recent news indicates that the company has set its sights on smaller prospective deals elsewhere in the world.

Sweden is beginning to ponder what follows the Gripen as it looks to preserve its national combat aircraft development capability.

Continuing an annual tradition dating back to 1957, Aviation Week Network editors honored a wide variety of industry accomplishments.

Sweden has awarded contracts to Saab and GKN Aerospace to begin studies into future combat aircraft and propulsion development.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

RTAF has released a white paper on new procurement requirements, including fighter replacements, domestically produced munitions and anti-drone technology.