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.

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 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 an 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.