Colombia Buys 17 Saab Gripen Jets for $4.3bn — Strategic Move as Tensions with the US Rise

Colombia signs $4.3bn deal for 17 Gripen fighter jets

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has confirmed a $4.3 billion contract with Sweden’s Saab to purchase 17 Gripen fighter jets, the first clear confirmation of both the number of aircraft and the total cost for a procurement first announced in April.

Petro framed the acquisition as defensive. As he wrote on social media, "This is a deterrent weapon to achieve peace," saying the jets will help dissuade "aggression against Colombia, wherever it may come from."

"In a world that is geopolitically messy, such aggression can come from anywhere," Petro said, explaining the government’s national security rationale.

The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions tied to an expanded US military presence in parts of Latin America and a series of US strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Washington says it has conducted about 20 strikes targeting drug-smuggling boats; reports say roughly 80 people have been killed. US authorities have not publicly released full evidence supporting all of these claims, and human rights groups, regional leaders and legal experts have accused the US of carrying out operations that may amount to extrajudicial killings.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has publicly accused both Petro and Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro of involvement in regional drug trafficking — accusations both leaders deny. The spat has included diplomatic and aid measures: the US has reduced some financial assistance to Colombia and removed it from a list of cooperative partners in international counter-narcotics efforts.

Relations also saw a brief shock when Petro announced a plan to suspend intelligence sharing with the US on drug-enforcement matters; Colombian officials quickly moved to soften and then roll back that threat.

During the procurement process US and French firms reportedly pitched aircraft to Bogotá, but Colombia ultimately selected Saab’s Gripen. Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson said Colombia joins Sweden, Brazil and Thailand among Gripen customers and predicted that defence ties between Bogotá and Stockholm will "deepen significantly."

What this means regionally

The deal signals Colombia’s intent to strengthen air capabilities amid a volatile geopolitical environment in the region. It is likely to deepen Bogotá’s defence relationship with Sweden while adding another layer to already strained ties with Washington. Observers will be watching how the jets are integrated into Colombia’s defence posture and whether the purchase influences regional diplomacy on security and counternarcotics policy.

Note: Figures cited in this article (20 US strikes; ~80 fatalities) are drawn from public reports and official statements; some claims have not been independently verified by US or international authorities.