- cross-posted to:
- europe@feddit.org
- cross-posted to:
- europe@feddit.org
Saab has given Canada a detailed plan for domestic Gripen E production, as Ottawa continues reviewing the size and composition of its planned 88-aircraft F-35 fleet.
In remarks reported by Militär Aktuell and FlightGlobal from a media briefing held alongside the Swedish Air Force centenary air show at Malmen Air Base in Linköping, Sweden, on August 22, 2026, Saab President and Chief Executive Officer Micael Johansson said the company had outlined to the Canadian government how a production line could be established.
Johansson argued that the two fighters could form a so-called “high-low mix,” combining the F-35’s specialized capabilities with the Gripen’s high availability, smaller logistical footprint and ability to operate from a wider range of airfields and improvised bases.
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Okay, question. What exactly is the Gripen good for? Asking because of ignorance, not as a gotcha.
From what I understand, our military purchases are to protect our borders against the Russians in the Arctic, the Americans in the south and also for NATO collective defense in Europe (where the largest aggressor is Russia).
Where in these cases would gripens be of any use compared to the f35s?
Against the Americans: Gripens or not, if we have to defend against them, we are kinda fucked. Our best bets would just be air defence/insurgency military hardware/drones/nukes if we can build them in event of escalation.
Against the Russians: We need to prepare to defend against the su57s, as that likely would make up their main thing for the decades to come. How would gripens help against that compared to the f35s?
As for the fears of Americans remotely disabling the f35s, well, we own the hardware, do we not? Can we not detect backdoors in advance right now, and come up with measures to remedy them? I mean how difficult is it really to flash different software when we have the hardware in our possession?
A consistent fleet of f35s would make stuff so much more efficient would it not? Getting a new plane from a new company, training maintenance crew on it, new pilots, etc. just seems… like a bad idea?
Ah, sure - moving away from US based platforms in the future makes perfect sense. Purchasing the successor of the f35 would be a bad idea, sure. Collaborating with the EU here would make more sense. But as for the current f35, I don’t understand the love for the Gripen.
For Canada to possess some F-35s would not do much.
Canada would also need to maintain them if conflict arises. Hard to do if the US is both the source of software updates and spare parts, and also the aggressor against which Canada needs to defend.
Re: Russia as the aggressor, F-35 is also a risk because POTUS and VP might side partly or wholly with Russia, e.g. refusing/limiting US arms to countries fighting Russia.
Gripen has none of those problems.
F35 are a security risk now. That’s not even a question
One squadron of F35 (that we have already paid for) and add 2-3 squadrons of Gripen.
You’ll need at least 3 of anything. One training and then operational sqn stationed in coldlake and bagotville. The winning should be immense if both sides didn’t get their own sqn
The repeated reporting from CBC based on sources inside the government had pointed towards plans for a mixed fleet mostly composed of F-35s, potentially even with the full order of 88 F-35s. Will this current trade war change this, or will we just keep delaying until it gets resolved and then go back to these plans? You would have thought the 51st state threats would have been enough to fully sideline the F-35s totally last year, but the idea of Fortress North America still seems to be the desired outcome for many in power.
I love the livery in that photo, but it doesn’t seem terribly practical :)
They should cover it with the words “Epstein Files,” so the us government won’t detect it.
That’s only for patrolling Lake Ontario.
It’d look really good on a 9 bird demonstration squadron.
Cool, instead of wasting money on American weaponry, we instead waste money on European weaponry.
All while our social safety nets are being cut, all while Carney and the Liberals do nothing to defend public healthcare with the Canada Health Act, and all in the midst of both an opioid and affordability crisis.
Glad to know we have our priorities straight…
Do you really think Canada would have fewer domestic crises if Trump or Putin invaded? Or if Russia attacked NATO?
In a world with narcissistic psychopaths like those in charge of enormous armies, you either invest in defence or you get conquered.
Wow, Putin invading Canada.
Totally real threat that will totally happen in the real world.
People are going to find it hard to care about defending the country if you don’t provide them with the basics to live, just saying.
