Peru has been actively seeking to modernize and expand its fleet of aircraft, and the JAS 39 Gripen is viewed as a cost-effective option suited for the region.
Swedish-based aerospace firm Saab has had a good summer. The aircraft maker recently concluded a sale to the Royal Thai Air Force for four of the JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighters. If Bangkok likes the planes, that acquisition could be further expanded. Even if it is not, however, Sweden is likely to gain an additional customer in Latin America.
On Wednesday, a delegation from Peru arrived in Stockholm for negotiations that could see the South American country become the third nation on the continent to opt for the Gripen, following Brazil and Colombia. Swedish Ministry of Defense Pål Jonson met with the representative from Lima to discuss the capabilities of the aircraft, following their visit to Saab’s aircraft manufacturing facility in Linköping.
“There are possibilities for broader cooperation within areas such as defence and innovation,” Jonson said following the bilateral meeting in Karlberg Palace. “We’re pleased that the Gripen is being considered as an alternative ahead of Peru’s upcoming combat aircraft procurement.”
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen’s Specifications
- Year Introduced: 1996
- Number Built: ~300
- Length: 14.9 m (48 ft 11 in) JAS 39C/E / 15.6 m (51 ft) JAS 39D/F
- Height: 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
- Wingspan: Approximately 8.4 m (27 ft 6 in)
- Weight:
- Empty: 6,800 kg (14,991 lb)
- Maximum takeoff weight: 14,000 kg (30,865 lb)
- Engines: GE F414G in the E/F variants
- Top Speed: Mach 2
- Range: 800 km (500 mi, 430 nmi)
- Service Ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)
- Loadout: 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon (omitted on the two-seat variants), including air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, air-to-ground missiles such as the AGM-65 Maverick, and anti-ship missiles such as the RBS-15
- Aircrew: 1-2
The Gripen Is Already Bound for the Andes
The Peruvian Air Force currently operates around a dozen French-produced Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters, along with Russian-made Sukhoi Su-25 (NATO reporting name “Frogfoot”) and Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name “Fulcrum”) fighters. The oldest of those aircraft have been in service for decades and are nearing the end of their service lives.
Lima has been actively seeking to modernize and expand its fleet of aircraft, and the JAS 39 Gripen is viewed as a cost-effective option suited for the region. Other options have included the French-made Dassault Rafale and the American-made F-16 Fighting Falcon, which is currently produced for foreign military sales (FMS) by aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.
However, Peru has a limited military budget, making the high operating costs of the F-16 an issue. The Dassault Rafale has similar costs. Dassault has also spent the summer fighting back against an aggressive mudslinging campaign by China, which hopes to sell its rival J-10 fighter, after a Pakistani J-10 equipped with Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missiles successfully shot down a Rafale.
While it is unclear how much the comments made by Chinese officials and social media pundits have impacted the deal, Lima may follow the lead of its South American neighbors. In April, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that a letter of intent had been signed with Saab, which will see the Gripen replace the Colombian Air Force’s aging Israeli-made Kfir fighter jets. A final contract is likely to be signed in September.
There were reports earlier this year that the United States had attempted to block the export of the JAS 39’s American-made engines to derail the deal. The Gripen E/F variant utilizes the US-made General Electric F414-GE-39E engine, which is subject to certain US export regulations. The issue was related to alleged corruption involving Brazil and its leader President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Although Lula had since been convicted on various charges of money laundering and corruption, he returned to power in 2023. However, Saab has denied the reports, and Stockholm claims the export licenses are in order.
The JAS 39 Gripen Is Well-Suited to the Andes
Saab’s supersonic, multi-role fighter jet has earned praise from the Swedish Air Force, as it is capable of both air combat and air-to-ground operations—while also being able to operate from austere facilities, including remote roads that have been converted into temporary runways. It can also carry a variety of advanced munitions.
The Gripen is further equipped with reinforced landing gear that positions the airframe high above the ground, preventing debris from being sucked into the jet engine’s air intake. The JAS 39 was also developed with low maintenance requirements and significantly lower operating costs compared to the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
All of those features may help incline the Peruvian officials favorably towards the Gripen. Another consideration may be the plane’s quicker availability compared to the Rafale and F-16. Interest in the Rafale from the Middle East has led to a significant back order at Dassault, which is struggling to meet its scheduled deliveries. Similarly, Lockheed Martin is dealing with a backorder of the Block 70/72 models for international clients while modernizing the existing fleets for other nations.
By contrast, Saab has fewer existing obligations. The Swedish firm has partnered with the Brazilian aerospace company Embraer to establish a production line in Brazil, with discussions underway for the assembly of the aircraft to be made in Colombia. That could allow Peru to receive the JAS 39 faster than the options from Lockheed Martin and Dassault.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
