Key Takeaways
- Colombia may purchase 16 to 24 Swedish Saab 39 Gripen fighter jets to modernize the country’s air force.
- The deal could provide economic benefits through compensatory investments in social projects.
- The Colombian air force currently operates outdated Israeli-made Kfir C-12 fighters that need to be replaced.
Buenos Aires: Colombia may purchase 16 to 24 new Swedish Saab 39 Gripen fighter jets, the second commander of the Colombian air force, Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda, said.
“The eventual negotiation does not have an exact cost, since it would involve a fleet of between 16 and 24 aircraft,” Silva Rueda was quoted as saying by El Tiempo news portal on Thursday.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that Colombia will purchase a batch of Swedish Saab 39 Gripen fighter jets. The agreement includes compensatory investments in social projects, such as a solar panel manufacturing plant and drinking water systems.
Currently, the Colombian air force is armed with 22 Israeli-made Kfir C-12 fighters, which were modernised in 2017, but are generally outdated and need to be replaced.
