“This is going to be the first time in generations a fighter will have been built in Canada. Saab has a network of partners and suppliers across the country, so certain parts will be manufactured within the country, and then we will assemble the aircraft, support the integration activity, and initial flight trials. In terms of final assembly and integration tests, that’s all happening in Canada.”
https://skiesmag.com/features/saab-gripen-fighter-jet-canada/
And that's fine. It wouldn't make a lot of sense for us to buy jets made overseas when our closest ally is the largest manufacturer of warplanes and happens to be right next door.
Even if you ignore the geographical considerations, just look at the numbers. 300 Gripens have been built since they began manufacture in 1996.
Meanwhile 720 F-35s have been built since 2006, with thousands more on the way.
Servicing F-35s well into the future will be easy because there'll be parts for them everywhere. Maintaining a Saab Gripen in say 40 years time will be like trying to maintain a 1981 Saab 900 Turbo today. Parts will be very scarce and very expensive.
It's ridiculous that the Gripen is even allowed into the competition. It's an obscure, oddball 4th generation fighter (you don't replace a 4th gen fighter with another 4th gen fighter), it's made on the other side of the ocean and it's used in very tiny numbers worldwide meaning parts will be scarce.
It's also not even in the same league as the F-35 in terms of performance. No stealth, only 65% of the range of the F-35, nothing close to the sensor capabilities of the F-35. I can't believe the Gripen is even under consideration.
"CF-18 replacement" rather*
Hmmm, what's with all the down voting?
1488ers still mad I wouldn't let them turn this place into stormfront 2.0/PPCtard HQ.
We are never going to buy a non-US manufactured jet.
“This is going to be the first time in generations a fighter will have been built in Canada. Saab has a network of partners and suppliers across the country, so certain parts will be manufactured within the country, and then we will assemble the aircraft, support the integration activity, and initial flight trials. In terms of final assembly and integration tests, that’s all happening in Canada.” https://skiesmag.com/features/saab-gripen-fighter-jet-canada/
Doesn't matter, we're still going to buy only jets made in the US of A.
It would be a shame since the Gripen is better suited for Canada in some respects.
And that's fine. It wouldn't make a lot of sense for us to buy jets made overseas when our closest ally is the largest manufacturer of warplanes and happens to be right next door.
Even if you ignore the geographical considerations, just look at the numbers. 300 Gripens have been built since they began manufacture in 1996.
Meanwhile 720 F-35s have been built since 2006, with thousands more on the way.
Servicing F-35s well into the future will be easy because there'll be parts for them everywhere. Maintaining a Saab Gripen in say 40 years time will be like trying to maintain a 1981 Saab 900 Turbo today. Parts will be very scarce and very expensive.
It's ridiculous that the Gripen is even allowed into the competition. It's an obscure, oddball 4th generation fighter (you don't replace a 4th gen fighter with another 4th gen fighter), it's made on the other side of the ocean and it's used in very tiny numbers worldwide meaning parts will be scarce.
It's also not even in the same league as the F-35 in terms of performance. No stealth, only 65% of the range of the F-35, nothing close to the sensor capabilities of the F-35. I can't believe the Gripen is even under consideration.