Colombia Wants the JAS 39 Gripen for Its Fighter Fleet
The JAS 39 Gripen is one of the greatest, most underrated warplanes in the world.
In November of last year, Reuters reported that the Colombian government was interested in purchasing a fleet of the Swedish-built JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets. JAS stands for “Jakt, Attack, Spaning,” or, in English, “Fighter, Attack, Reconnaissance.”
Produced by Saab, the JAS 39 Gripen is one of the greatest, most underrated warplanes in the world. With the constant threat of Venezuela just next door, and the challenges of handling insurgency groups throughout the Colombian jungles, Colombia needs to ensure its military is a top regional force.
At the same time, Bogota does not have the same resources to spend on its military that the United States or even a regional heavyweight like Brazil has. Purchasing more cost-effective systems like the JAS 39 Gripen is one way for Colombia to have its cake and eat it too.
A Generational Change in Colombia’s Air Force
Colombia’s Air Force previously depended upon the iconic Israeli-built Kfir warplane. But these systems have aged, and the Colombians believe they require newer systems to meet the complex demands of the modern threat environment.
The JAS 39 Gripen (“Griffin” in Swedish) is a single-engine, multirole fighter aircraft defined by its delta wing and canard configuration. Its first flight was piloted by Swedish pilot Stig Holmström on December 9, 1988. Initially, the bird struggled with multiple technical woes—notably in its fly-by-wire control system—but the Swedish Air Force and Saab resolved them by the time the Gripen entered service in 1996.
Understanding the Gripen
One of the enduring successes of the Gripen’s older design is that it was built to be flexible. It has modularity, allowing it to be tailored for a variety of missions, and relatively low ongoing maintenance costs—meaning that smaller states with lower military budgets can afford it more easily than more prominent systems like the F-15 Eagle.
Because of its unique delta-shape and canard configuration, the Gripen is a highly maneuverable aircraft. What’s more, it’s noted for its short-takeoff and landing capabilities. In the jungle environment of Latin America, this gives the Colombians a unique set of options when relying on the Gripen, as they can take off and land in areas of the jungle that other aircraft would not have access to.
The JAS 39 Gripen comes with a helmet-mounted sight system, digital displays, and a sophisticated radar that has been continually upgraded over the years to include active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar technology.
Older Gripens were powered by the Volvo RM12, which is itself a derivative of the General Electric F404 engine. The newer E/F models feature the far more powerful General Electric F414G engine. The new engines on the Gripens increase both thrust and carrying capacity, increasing the bird’s overall effectiveness.
JAS 39 Gripens are among some of the most heavily exported warplanes in the world. A wide variety of nations have purchased the fighter, including the Czech Republic, South Africa, Hungary, Thailand, and Brazil. Indeed, this last nation is key to understanding the Colombian purchase of the Gripen: Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer SA has developed a regional partnership with Saab to develop the JAS 39 in South America. From the production facilities in Brazil, the Colombians (and Peruvians) will receive units of the Gripens.
And interestingly, Saab designed the JAS 39 Gripen to be interoperable with NATO—meaning that, if needed, Colombia’s air force might become more interoperable as well.
The Gripen is a Good Choice for the Colombians
The Gripen has proven itself in a multiplicity of combat environments over the decades of its service. Most recently, the Gripen was deployed to Libya during Operation Unified Protector in 2011. During that mission, the Gripen showcased its combat effectiveness in air-to-ground attack roles. Other missions this multirole fighter has been used in has been Baltic Air Policing missions for air defense missions in Europe.
Colombia’s purchase of the JAS 39 Gripen is a smart move. It allows for the Colombians to enhance their air superiority over neighboring Venezuela and the various hostile elements they must confront within the dense jungles of Colombia itself. The JAS 39 Gripen deal brings Colombia closer to Brazil, since Brazil’s partnership with Saab allowed the deal to come to fruition. What’s more, Colombia’s air force will not suffer any capabilities gap as they slowly retire the older Israeli Kfir warplane and transition to the Gripen.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a Senior Fellow at the Center for the National Interest, and a contributor at Popular Mechanics, consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
