The F-35 and Gripen compete at opposite ends of the affordability spectrum — the F-35 is the premium multirole platform of the 2020s, the Gripen the leanest capable Western fighter available. Several nations have chosen between them, making this comparison directly relevant to real procurement decisions.
Full guides: F-35 Lightning II · Saab JAS 39 Gripen
| F-35 Lightning II | Saab JAS 39 Gripen | |
|---|---|---|
| First flight | 2006 | 1988 |
| Origin | United States | Sweden |
| Length | 15.7 m | 14.1 m |
| Wingspan | 10.7 m | 8.4 m |
| Max speed | 1930 km/h | 2130 km/h |
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a single-engine, delta-canard light multirole fighter optimised for low operating cost, ease of maintenance, and the ability to operate from dispersed bases including public roads. It entered Swedish Air Force service in 1996. The current production version, the Gripen E/F (JAS 39E), features a new GE F414G engine, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar (Selex ES-05 Raven), and updated avionics. The F-35 is a fifth-generation low-observable multirole fighter with a significantly larger sensor suite, internal weapons bays, and a full stealth shaping. The capability gap is real: the F-35's stealth, sensor fusion (EOTS targeting system, APG-81 AESA, DAS 360-degree awareness), and electronic warfare capability exceed what the Gripen E/F offers. But the cost gap is equally real: a Gripen E unit flyaway cost is approximately $85–100 million vs the F-35A's approximately $80–100 million (they have converged more than many expect), but the Gripen's operating cost per flight hour — approximately $5,000–7,000 — is roughly half the F-35's. For nations with limited budgets and small air forces, the Gripen's lower through-life cost and operating simplicity are decisive advantages. Saab also offers more permissive technology transfer and industrial participation terms than Lockheed Martin.
The F-35 holds decisive BVR advantages: lower radar cross-section (the Gripen is a conventional design with no stealth shaping), superior sensor fusion, and the ability to network with other F-35s via MADL datalink. In a within-visual-range fight the picture changes. The Gripen E/F has an excellent thrust-to-weight ratio — approximately 0.95:1 — and the delta-canard configuration gives strong instantaneous turn performance. The F-35A's thrust-to-weight at combat weight is approximately 0.87:1 with no thrust vectoring. The Gripen carries the IRIS-T (highly off-boresight WVR missile) and can employ the Meteor BVR missile — arguably better long-range missile than the AIM-120D the F-35 typically carries internally. However, the F-35 would be attempting to prevent the engagement from ever reaching WVR range: firing AIM-120s from stealth at distances where the Gripen has not detected it. Gripen's countermeasures and EW suite (EWS 39) are capable but designed for a different threat environment. In a neutral scripted WVR engagement, the Gripen's agility would be competitive; in a realistic engagement where the F-35 controls the geometry, the Gripen faces severe disadvantages.
The F-35 is considerably larger. Gripen E length: 14.1 m vs F-35A 15.7 m. Wingspan: Gripen E 8.6 m vs F-35A 10.7 m. Max takeoff weight: Gripen E approximately 16,500 kg vs F-35A 31,800 kg — the F-35 is nearly twice as heavy. Top speed: Gripen E Mach 2.0 vs F-35A Mach 1.6. The Gripen is faster in level flight with afterburner. Its smaller size is a direct asset for road-base operations and dispersed basing.
Gripen operators: Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa, Thailand, Brazil. Switzerland selected the F-35 in 2021 after a long process in which the Gripen E was a finalist. Canada selected the F-35 in 2023 after previously cancelling Gripen E evaluation. Colombia selected the F-35 over Gripen in 2024. F-35 operators: United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Singapore, Finland, Poland, Canada, Greece, Switzerland, Germany. The Gripen E has proved harder to sell than Saab hoped, despite its operating cost advantages.
The Gripen prototype first flew February 1988; the JAS 39A entered Swedish service in 1996; the E-variant prototype flew June 2017 with deliveries from 2019. The F-35A reached IOC in 2016. The Gripen's decades of operational history mean its failure modes are well understood, maintenance procedures are mature, and pilot training pipelines are established. The F-35's sustainment costs have been criticised — the USAF's CAPE analyses repeatedly flagged sustainment cost overruns — whereas the Gripen was specifically engineered for low through-life cost. As F-35 sustainment costs come down with scale, the Gripen's cost advantage may narrow; as of 2025, it remains real.
Both are accessible in Europe. Gripen spotting: Angelholm/Helsingborg (Wing F10, Sweden), Uppsala (Wing F16), and Satenas (Wing F7) host Swedish Gripens; Czech Gripens are at Caslav; Hungarian Gripens at Kecskemet; Brazilian Gripens at Anapolis. The Gripen regularly appears at RIAT Fairford and Nordic air shows. F-35s in Europe: RAF Lakenheath (UK), Aviano and Ghedi (Italy), Volkel (Netherlands), Orland (Norway), Skrydstrup (Denmark), and growing. For an enthusiast in Scandinavia or Central Europe, both types are within practical reach.