Saab is still in the race to supply Portugal with new combat aircraft, claiming that its JAS 39 Gripen matches Lisbon’s needs better than the American F-35. The Swedish manufacturer argues that the Gripen was designed from the very beginning to operate in the shadow of a possible war with Russia.
The Portuguese fighter competition has shifted over the past months. The F-35 was long regarded as the most likely winner, but Lisbon’s growing concern about becoming too dependent on American military equipment, combined with changes in US policy, has opened the door to alternative proposals.
According to Wirtualna Polska, Saab is promoting the Gripen as a fighter built with high-threat scenarios in mind. Jussi Halmetoja, a former Swedish Air Force pilot and now an advisor to the company, told CNN Portugal that the priority from the very start of development was to prepare the jet for the realities of a potential confrontation with the Russian armed forces.
Built for a high-intensity fight
Halmetoja believes that in a high-intensity war the Gripen offers greater operational capability than the F-35. In his view, the American fighter was not designed to sustain the same pace of combat operations as the Swedish aircraft.
The Gripen’s quick turnaround on the ground is one of its key advantages. According to the former pilot, the plane can be made ready for its next mission about ten minutes after landing, which allows an air force to generate more sorties in a shorter period.
Support beyond the aircraft
Some Ukrainian military analysts have also assessed the Gripen favorably. They say it can effectively counter Russian aviation and consider it one of the more interesting fighters available on the global market today.
Saab’s offer to Portugal is not limited to the jets themselves. The company is also proposing broad cooperation with Portuguese industry, hoping that the prospect of local involvement will strengthen its bid.
Source: WNP.pl, Photo: Shutterstock/Karolis Kavolelis
