For Ukraine's planned order of at least 100 Swedish JAS-39E/F Gripen fighters from Saab, the only realistic way to obtain them in a timely manner is to localize production in Ukraine. The Saab plant in Linköping has limited production capacity, as it is already committed to fulfilling orders for the Swedish Air Force and existing export customers.
The Swedish government has confirmed that localization is possible, which will require finding a suitable partner in Ukraine.
Read more: The End of the FCAS Program? Germany's New F-35 Deal Pushes Franco-German Jet Project to the Brink
Moreover, this is a standard condition for the sale of a large number of Gripen aircraft, as demonstrated by the first contract signed with Brazil in 2014. It can serve as a benchmark for evaluating the timeframe and extent of localization.
It should be noted that the terms of the $5.4 billion contract covered the supply of 36 fighter jets: 28 single-seat JAS 39E Gripen and eight two-seat JAS 39F Gripen. Saab's partner in the execution of this contract in Brazil was Embraer, which is known for its passenger and transport aircraft, as well as the Super Tucano turboprop aircraft.
Of the 36 Gripen aircraft, only 13 will be fully manufactured in Sweden. Eight Gripen aircraft will be assembled by Brazil's Embraer, while another 15 will be produced independently by Embraer with support from Saab.
It should also be noted that Brazil manufactures a number of components for its Gripen aircraft. In addition, around 60 different technologies were scheduled to be transferred to Brazil.
In 2015, the first group of 350 Brazilian engineers went to Sweden for training and practical experience. Two years after signing the contract, in 2016, Embraer established the Gripen Design and Development Network (GDDN) center, where Brazilian and Swedish specialists worked together.
In 2018, the Brazilian Saab Aeronáutica Montagens plant was opened in São Bernardo do Campo. It is to produce tail cones, speed brakes, wing boxes, as well as the front and rear fuselage sections. They will be assembled at the Embraer plant in Gavião Peixe. However, Saab Aeronáutica Montagens only began operations in 2020, and Embraer's production line opened in May 2023.
The contract with Brazil perfectly illustrates how things can go wrong. With domestic political crises, including corruption scandals being investigated in the U.S., objective technological difficulties, and completely unpredictable factors such as the pandemic, which became another reason for significant delays.
This contract was supposed to be fully completed in 2024, but it is still far from completion. In particular, Brazil received its first fighter jet in 2019, and the first assembly kit was received in 2023. In total, Brazil has received about 10 Gripen jets during this time. Currently, the first aircraft built entirely in Brazil is being prepared for delivery.
Despite the delays, the contract is progressing, and Brazil will receive the new aircraft. At the same time, it was believed that 36 Gripen aircraft would be only the first batch for the country.
Moreover, Sweden plans to use Embraer's production facilities to fulfill contracts for Colombia and Peru.
Read more: Europe's Meteor Long-Range Missile to Be Integrated on russian-Designed Su-30, Why That's a Dangerous Development
