Colombia has announced its intention to acquire new fighter aircraft of the Saab 39 Gripen type. The announcement was confirmed by Colombia's President Gustavo Petro in a post on X on April 3. On the same day, a meeting was held at the presidential palace in Bogotá with Swedish representatives, including Ambassador Helena Storm and representatives from Saab and the Wallenberg sphere.

According to the presidential office, a letter of intent was signed by the Swedish government supporting Colombia's strategic air defense project and opening up for the purchase of Gripen.

Colombia's Air Force Chief, General Carlos Silva, states in an interview with Reuters that the country plans to purchase between 16 and 24 aircraft. The new Gripen aircraft will replace the existing Kfir fleet, which was acquired in the late 1980s.

Sweden's Minister of Defense Pål Jonson welcomes the announcement:
– It is gratifying that President Petro has announced that Colombia chooses Gripen as its fighter aircraft. Negotiations will now commence. Sweden is a long-term partner to Colombia, and the choice of Gripen makes strategic cooperation in the fighter aircraft field possible, he writes on X.

Britain's Defense Attaché in Sweden, Peter McCreedy, has also commented on the deal, highlighting that Gripen contains significant British technology:
– A good decision, Colombia – a sleek aircraft by the way! 37 percent of Gripen is British content, so a win for Sweden is also a win for the United Kingdom, writes McCreedy.

In a written comment to Sveriges Radio, the company's press chief Mattias Rådström states that Saab has a strong offer for Colombia, but that there is not yet any contract or order.

According to information from the aviation site Aviacionline, the agreement is expected to be announced during the F-AIR Colombia 2025 air and defense fair, held July 9–13 in Rionegro. Sweden is invited as the guest of honor at the event, where both political and industrial delegations from both countries are expected to attend.

In addition to the aircraft deal, President Petro announces that cooperation with Sweden also includes social offsets. This includes the establishment of a solar panel factory in the Córdoba department, water infrastructure in La Guajira, and modernization of the healthcare system in Bogotá.

Recently, Colombia has also made other defense equipment purchases linked to Swedish industry. In March, Defense Sector News reported that BAE Systems Bofors received an order for a Bofors 40 Mk4 naval gun to be installed on a Colombian SIGMA-class frigate, built by Dutch Damen Naval.