DefenseThe change of mood of the governments of Portugal and Canada regarding the F-35A Lightning II fighter has already resulted in the opening of talks with other manufacturers such Saab.
Micael Johansson, CEO of the Swedish company, revealed to the newspaper Dagens Industri that Saab is preparing offers for the Gripen fighter for the air forces of both countries.
“We are in discussions with Portugal and will present what Saab can offer. Then we will see if they consider the Gripen a viable alternative”, said Johansson last week.
Saab is coming off an important victory in the competition opened by Colombia, which is expected to sign a contract for up to 24 Gripen fighters for the air force.
Threat of annexation of Canada
The talks between Saab and Dassault, and possibly the Eurofighter consortium, were initiated after statements by the Portuguese and Canadian defense ministers.
They occurred in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s decisions against his traditional allies.
The Republican has launched new import tariffs against Canada and the European Union, starting an unprecedented trade war.
In addition, Trump has declared himself against NATO, a military alliance that has kept Europe safe from possible attacks since the end of World War II.
The US president has gone further and has also threatened to annex Canada, which has even influenced the country’s general elections, scheduled for the end of April, which should keep the current Prime Minister in office – he is a fierce critic of Trump.
Trump’s actions have alienated countries from Lockheed Martin
Nuno Melo, Portugal’s defense minister, was the first to speak out against the option for the F-35, which until then was considered expected. The government then turned to European suppliers, and at least Dassault and now Saab are already in the running to replace the F-16 fighters.
Canada is in a more complex situation, having signed a contract for 88 F-35A fighters. However, the most likely scenario is that the country’s Air Force will receive a first batch of 16 aircraft already in assembly and then move on to receive another type of fighter.
If this happens, it will be a major loss for Lockheed Martin, which until now had won successive contracts for the F-35, a 5th generation aircraft with stealth capabilities and considered more capable than its European competitors.
