The Czech Republic has renewed its lease to keep its Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripens until 2035—but is still on track to purchase the F-35 Lightning II after that date.
The Czech Republic announced this week that it has extended the lease of its fleet of Swedish-made Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen multirole fighters. The central European NATO nation will operate the Gripen at least until 2035, with the contract extended from 2027. It is the second extension for the leased aircraft, but it will result in the fleet being reduced from 14 aircraft to an even dozen.
Under the new contract terms, which were finalized by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), Prague will pay 16.7 billion Czech koruna ($790 million) for 12 aircraft, along with pilot training and support. The Gripens, which have been upgraded to the MS20 standard, will likely remain stationed at Cáslav Air Base, east of Prague.
“We are pleased about the continued cooperation with the Czech Republic in the area of combat aircraft. In addition to contributing to Czech defence capabilities, the extension of the Gripen C/D agreement also contributes to strengthening NATO’s collective security,” said FMV director general Mikael Granholm.
However, this deal doesn’t change the fact that Prague is still on track to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II in the early 2030s, which will eventually replace the JAS 39 fighters as they reach the end of their service lives. Although Stockholm had sought to entice the Czech military to keep the Gripen flying beyond 2035, the Czech Ministry of Defense determined that a fifth-generation stealth fighter such as the F-35 would be required for future operational needs. Several NATO members already operate the F-35 Lightning II, while others are expected to obtain the stealth fighter in the coming years.
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:
- 6,800 kg (14,991 lb) empty
- 14,000 kg (30,865 lb) MTOW
- Engines: GE F414G turbofan engines (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); hardpoints; accepts 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 (depending on variant)
The Gripen Is in Hot Demand Around the World
The modernized JAS 39C/D Gripen is currently operated by the air forces of Sweden, Hungary, the Czech Republic, South Africa, and Thailand. Brazil has also recently closed a deal to acquire the multirole aircraft, which will see final assembly being made in South America. A delegation from Peru was also in Stockholm last month for negotiations to purchase the fighter.
Colombia has also sought the Gripen to replace its aging Israeli-made Kfir fighter jets.
The multirole Gripen was designed to operate from remote bases and austere environments, including roads converted to makeshift runways, featuring a 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 has a much lower flight hour cost than other modern fighters, making it an attractive option to smaller air forces without the budget for more expensive American planes.
Developed to replace the variants of the Saab 35 Viggen and Saab 37 Draken combat aircraft that Stockholm employed during the Cold War, the fourth-generation multirole fighter was first flown in December 1988 and entered operational service with the Swedish Air Force in 1997. It was Sweden’s first multirole fighter aircraft, designed to carry out a variety of missions, including air-to-air combat and air superiority, air-to-surface and close air support (CAS), and armed reconnaissance.
The Mach 2 delta wing and canard fighter jet features two trailing-edge drooping “elevons” to improve short-field performance and maneuverability. The Gripen is equipped with fly-by-wire controls and is powered by a Volvo turbofan engine with an afterburner. The single-engine JAS 39 began as a single-seater fighter, but Saab also produced the B and D versions, which featured a more extended canopy to accommodate a crew of two.
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: Shutterstock / Jason Wells.
