Will the Philippines Follow Thailand ??? Saab Confirms Gripen Fighter Jet Negotiations with Manila

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — The race for air superiority in Southeast Asia is heating up, and all eyes are now on Manila as Sweden’s Saab confirms it is in talks with the Philippines for the possible acquisition of Gripen fighter jets.

The revelation comes at a pivotal moment, just weeks after Thailand sealed a USD 515 million (RM2.4 billion) deal for four of the latest Gripen E/F aircraft, a move that has reignited regional interest in Saab’s multirole combat platform.

Saab’s Chief Executive Officer, Micael Johansson, underscored the strategic ripple effect of Bangkok’s decision, noting that it will not go unnoticed by neighbouring air forces across Southeast Asia.

“This is a region where several other countries are considering which fighter jets they will use in the future,” Johansson said recently to local outlet Dagens Industri, emphasising the Philippines as one of the most closely watching nations.

“They are watching what Thailand and its air force are doing. We are in talks with the Philippines, absolutely, although they are not as far along.”

At stake is Manila’s long-delayed Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) program, which envisions the procurement of up to 12 modern fighters to strengthen the Philippine Air Force’s frontline capabilities.

For Saab, the Gripen’s C/D and E/F variants are being positioned as cost-effective yet highly advanced platforms, directly competing against Lockheed Martin’s F-16V Block 70/72—the very jet that remains Washington’s preferred export option for Manila.

The Swedish company’s interest in the Philippines is not new.

Back in 2016, Saab had already planned to open an office in Manila, a step that gained momentum with Stockholm’s government approval of Gripen exports in 2022 and a sweeping defence cooperation agreement between Sweden and the Philippines in 2023.

Thailand’s fresh order of three Gripen E single-seaters and one Gripen F dual-seater, valued at SEK 5.3 billion, will be delivered between 2025 and 2030, complete with training, support, and technology transfer offset packages.

This builds upon the Royal Thai Air Force’s earlier fleet of Gripen C/D jets, operational since 2011, and cements Bangkok as the first Southeast Asian operator to double down on the Gripen platform.

Johansson hailed the order as proof of the aircraft’s strength, declaring, “Thailand has chosen the most modern fighter on the market to build its next generation of strategic, independent capabilities.”

The Gripen’s combat debut during the July 2025 Thai-Cambodian border clashes gave Saab an unexpected marketing boost, with the jets flying airstrike missions in contested areas and proving their reliability under real-world combat conditions.

This operational record could weigh heavily in Manila’s considerations, as the Philippines seeks aircraft not only for deterrence but also for potential combat employment in high-tension flashpoints.

The South China Sea dispute looms large over Manila’s fighter decision, with China’s growing air and naval presence threatening the archipelago’s sovereignty.

In such a scenario, the Gripen’s attributes—an 800-kilometre combat radius, advanced AESA radar, sensor fusion, and the ability to operate from dispersed and short runways—align closely with the Philippines’ geographic and operational needs.

Equipped with the General Electric F414G turbofan engine, the Gripen E/F can carry a full suite of beyond-visual-range (BVR) weapons, precision strike munitions, and even long-range cruise missiles, offering the Philippines a leap in strike capability against any regional adversary.

Its lower lifecycle costs compared to Western competitors make it particularly attractive to a budget-constrained air force.

Yet, the financial hurdle remains the most pressing obstacle.

Stockholm is reportedly exploring the use of Sweden’s state-backed export credit system to help Manila finance the acquisition, mirroring the model used in other Saab export deals.

Such financing could prove decisive, given the Philippine defence budget’s competing priorities across naval, ground, and homeland security requirements.

Beyond the financials, Saab’s push is also geo-strategic.

A Gripen sale to Manila would expand Sweden’s defence footprint in Southeast Asia, placing its aircraft side by side with Thai Gripens and potentially sparking a domino effect in neighbouring states evaluating their next-generation fighter options.

This would directly challenge American dominance in the fighter export market, where the F-16 has long been the default choice.

For the Philippines, the decision is not just about replacing ageing fighters, but about defining the future of its air power in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific battlespace.

Thailand’s vote of confidence in the Gripen, coupled with the aircraft’s first combat validation, could very well tip Manila’s hand in Saab’s favour.

As negotiations continue, the Philippines stands at a critical crossroads—whether to follow Thailand’s path towards Swedish Gripens or to remain anchored to the American defence orbit with the F-16.

What Manila decides will not only shape its air force for the next three decades but could also recalibrate the balance of power in one of the world’s most volatile regions.

Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin has escalated its campaign to secure the sale of F-16 Block 70 “Viper” fighter jets to the Philippines, anchoring its offer to an unprecedented industrial–academic partnership designed to transform the country’s defence technology ecosystem.

This recent bold move seeks to position the United States not merely as a hardware supplier but as a long-term strategic partner in shaping the Philippines’ defence innovation base.

The centrepiece of the proposal is a “strategic partnership” with Southern Methodist University (SMU) that would integrate local industry, academia, and government in a coordinated push to elevate the nation’s aerospace and defence manufacturing capabilities.

Lockheed Martin plans to fund high-tech business incubators, establish a research and development laboratory, and create advanced training facilities to accelerate the Philippines’ capabilities in modelling, simulation, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

“We are committed to investing in the development of new capabilities and intellectual properties in close collaboration with leading universities and companies in the Philippines,” said Jess Koloini, Lockheed Martin F-16 Business Development.

“This partnership will not only support the country’s Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP), but also create a lasting impact on the Filipino workforce, driving economic growth and prosperity.”

The proposal arrives at a critical juncture for Manila, as the country seeks to modernise its air combat capability to counter increasingly assertive Chinese activities in the West Philippine Sea.

In April 2025, the U.S. State Department formally notified Congress of its intent to authorise the sale, outlining a package of 16 F-16C Block 70/72 single-seat fighters and four F-16D twin-seat variants, the most advanced configuration of the Fighting Falcon in production.

The timing was no coincidence, coinciding with the visit of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Manila, where he pledged to “restore deterrence in the Indo-Pacific” amid what he described as the growing “threat posed by Communist China.”

This high-profile linkage between advanced fighter sales and capacity-building investments underscores a new U.S. approach: embedding military sales in broader national development strategies to secure long-term alliances.

Lockheed Martin’s plan also includes exploring local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities, developing a skilled aerospace workforce, and integrating F-16 logistics with the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) existing FA-50 light fighter fleet.

If Manila selects the F-16, the PAF’s operational envelope would expand dramatically, enabling advanced maritime patrols, precision close air support (CAS), suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD), and deep-strike missions across the nation’s 7,000-plus islands.

Such capabilities are essential for securing Philippine territorial integrity, particularly as Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels continue to challenge Philippine sovereignty in contested waters.

The proposed F-16 package is more than just aircraft—it is a complete combat system.

It includes 24 General Electric F110 afterburning turbofan engines for maximum thrust and redundancy, along with 22 AN/APG-83 AESA radars that deliver superior detection, tracking, and electronic warfare resistance.

For air-to-air combat, the suite features 112 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs for beyond-visual-range interception and 40 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinders for high-agility dogfighting.

To sustain pilot readiness, the deal also includes 32 captive-carry training versions of the AIM-9X.

The ground-attack package comprises 36 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB-1) for precision strikes with minimal collateral damage, plus 60 MK-82 (500 lb) and 60 MK-84 (2,000 lb) general-purpose bombs for heavier strike profiles.

Precision targeting will be enhanced by 12 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods, which enable laser- and GPS-guided weapon employment under all conditions.

Interoperability with U.S. and allied forces will be ensured through 24 MIDS-JTRS terminals, supporting secure, jam-resistant datalinks for real-time battle management.

Survivability will be boosted by the AN/ALQ-254 Viper Shield electronic warfare suite, designed to counter advanced radar-guided threats from modern integrated air defence systems.

Additional mission systems include advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) for passive target detection, Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) pods for realistic training, and LAU-117/LAU-88 launchers for AGM-65 Maverick missiles.

The acquisition also covers full-spectrum logistics, ground crew training, and maintenance infrastructure to ensure the F-16 fleet remains operational for decades.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA