Saab Gripen and F-16V Struggle for the PAF

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Saab Gripen and F-16V Struggle for the PAF

Saab is struggling to win a project to procure 12 new fighter jets in the Philippine Air Force (PAF), but its opponent is Lockheed Martin’s F-16V from the United States. The company has recently won the Canada tender against SAAB with F-35.

Saab offers the most advanced Gripen variant, the Gripen E, to Manila which is also exported to Brasil Air Force (FAB). In addition to the buying and selling system, Saab offers other packages, namely renting the aircraft.The Philippine MRF program will complement the South Korean-made FA-50 Fighting Eagle fighter jets that the PAF currently has. The expected aircraft is a fourth-generation fighter jet or higher.The MRF project is part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program “Horizon 2” scheduled for 2018 to 2022.Any aircraft selected must be capable of integrating with the PAF’s existing radar system, which has a range of approximately 250 nautical miles.