Saab pushes Gripen E bid to Canada as Ottawa reassesses F-35 commitment

Saab is maintaining its push to sell the Gripen E fighter jet to Canada, as deteriorating trade relations between Ottawa and Washington raise doubts about the scale of Canada's planned Lockheed Martin F-35 purchases.

According to the company, talks between the two governments broke down on 21 August, followed by the imposition of reciprocal tariffs, further straining ties that were already tense. Canada has ordered 16 F-35s so far, against a stated overall requirement for 88 aircraft, and has reportedly been reconsidering whether to scale back that commitment in favour of a mixed fleet.

As part of its offer, Saab has proposed setting up a new final assembly line for the Gripen E/F in Canada, which would become a third such facility alongside existing plants in Sweden and Brazil.

Speaking to reporters at Malmen air base, Saab's chief executive said he still expects Canada to proceed with some level of F-35 acquisition, rather than abandoning the programme entirely. He argued that pairing the F-35 with the Gripen would suit Canada well, citing the Swedish jet's ability to operate from roads as well as conventional runways, which he said would give the country greater flexibility in remote or dispersed locations.

The executive acknowledged one potential complication: the Gripen relies on a substantial amount of US-sourced content, including the GE Aerospace F414 engine that powers it. Despite that dependency, he expressed confidence the issue would not derail the pitch. No decision from Ottawa has been announced.