Colombia has signed a letter of intent with Sweden to purchase new Saab Gripen fighter jets, President Gustavo Petro announced on Wednesday. The deal would replace the country’s aging fleet of Israeli-made Kfir aircraft.
In a post on X, Petro said the new jets are the latest Gripen E/F models, already in use by Brazil. He described the purchase as a move to upgrade Colombia’s air force with modern technology.
Petro said the agreement also involves building a solar panel plant in Colombia, though few details were provided.
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson confirmed the news, saying negotiations between the two countries are now ongoing.
“It is gratifying that President Petro has announced that Colombia is choosing Gripen as its fighter aircraft. Negotiations are now underway,” Jonson said. “Sweden is a long-term partner of Colombia and the choice of Gripen means that strategic cooperation in the field of fighter aircraft will be possible.”
Det är glädjande att president Petro meddelat att Colombia väljer Gripen som stridsflyg. Förhandlingar tar nu vid. Sverige är en långsiktig partner till Colombia och valet av Gripen innebär att en strategisk samverkan på stridsflygområdet blir möjlig.
Foto: Saab pic.twitter.com/GQUMEyQGFi
— Pål Jonson (@PlJonson) April 3, 2025
Colombia plans to buy up to 24 jets but Air Force Commander General Carlos Fernando Silva said the number could change as the final contract is still being worked out.
The deal follows Colombia’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Israel over its military actions in Gaza.
The Kfir jets, purchased in the 1980s, can only be serviced by Israeli firms, which has created significant maintenance challenges and heightened the urgency to replace them.
A report last month raised concerns that the U.S. might block Colombia’s purchase of the Gripen due to its use of American-made engines. The report also mentioned that the U.S. had requested a meeting with Colombia’s defense minister to discuss the aircraft deal and highlight the advantages of choosing an American alternative, such as the F-16.
In response, Saab stated that it already holds the necessary export licenses for Colombia and dismissed the report as unfounded speculation.
Colombia’s Kfir jets will stay in service until the new fighters arrive. This deal, once finalized, would make Colombia the second country in South America to fly Gripens, following Brazil.
