Linkoping, Sweden, April 24, 2026 (Lusa) - Portuguese pilots currently flying F-16 fighter jets would require approximately one year to fully master the capabilities of the Swedish Gripen-E fighter jet, designed using state-of-the-art technology, which Saab is currently trying to sell to Portugal.
This estimate was provided by Jussi Halmetoja, a Gripen test pilot and air operations consultant for Saab, during a demonstration for the Portuguese press at Linköping airport, in Sweden.
Saab is one of the candidates in the market at a time when the Portuguese government will have to decide on the successors to the F-16 fleet, which is reaching the end of its service life.
Also in the running are the American firm Lockheed Martin, with its F-35 fighters, and the European consortium comprising Airbus and its Eurofighters.
Defence minister, Nuno Melo, has said that the formal procurement process is not yet open, which does not prevent the various competitors from beginning to demonstrate their capabilities.
During various presentations to the Portuguese press, Saab officials highlighted the fighter's ability to have its software configurations changed in the morning to allow for a different operational mode by the afternoon of the same day.
Another of the Gripen’s capabilities is the ability to refuel and rearm in around 15 minutes, a rapid procedure involving five people, a sort of technical pit stop similar to those that take place in Formula 1 races when drivers need to change tyres, the pilot, Jussi Halmetoja, told journalists.
Additionally, the fighter can also be refuelled in the air by a KC-390, a type of aircraft that Portugal acquired from the Brazilian firm Embraer, participating in its production process and making a commission on every sale.
Daniel Boestad, Saab’s Gripen business area chair, estimated that the total life-cycle cost of the Gripen programme is roughly one-third of that of its market competitors.
Beyond the argument of cost, officials highlighted the aircraft's effectiveness and availability, saying that these fighters maintained an availability rate of approximately 80% to 90%, which would ensure more aircraft remained airborne for longer periods to execute missions such as airspace control and maritime surveillance, a significant factor for Portugal due to its extensive coastline.
Furthermore, Johan Segertoft, the business area director for these fighters, said that the Gripen could land on civilian roads if the situation required it.
Addressing the common criticism that the Gripen is a 4.5 generation fighter compared to the fifth-generation American F-35, Segertoft said that Saab dismissed such labels as "marketing."
"We are simply creating a collective illusion of the next big thing," he said, adding that if a fighter considered to be of an earlier generation defeated one of a later generation, that classification would lose its relevance.
However, Johan Segertoft declined to categorise the F-35 as a poor-quality aircraft, saying that it was simply designed with different operational objectives in mind compared to those of the Gripen-E.
In an interview with Lusa, Daniel Boestad was asked whether the US President, Donald Trump, was effectively acting as a helpful business partner by threatening to withdraw from NATO, thereby potentially undermining F-35 sales; however, he laughed and declined to comment on the subject.
“I think it’s good that Europe is building a strong defence industry capability, as it is something we would certainly like to be part of and find good partners such as the Portuguese defence industry,” he said.
"If you choose the Gripen, there are no black boxes, nothing of the sort. The customer, Portugal, we hope, will also enjoy a high degree of transparency regarding the platform and will be able to play a part in its development," he added.
Saab indicated that it was considering the assembly of Gripen fighter components in Portugal and expressed hope that a deal could be finalised with the Portuguese government.
The company clarified that this manufacturing process was not contingent on the purchase of the aircraft, as the Swedish firm was actively seeking broader international partnerships.
However, Daniel Boestad added that there was the possibility of expanding the partnership to include final assembly on Portuguese soil, or maintenance and repair operations, a scenario that would depend on the specific terms of any potential agreement for the Portuguese state to acquire the fighter jets.
ARL/MYAL // AYLS
Lusa
