The Riksdag's Defence Committee finalized its handling of the government's total defence proposition on Tuesday.
In the committee's report, the parties have agreed on new formulations regarding the continued work ahead of the decision on which fighter jet will replace the Gripen around 2050.
The Riksdag wants to speed up the decision. According to the proposition, a decision should be made no later than 2030, and the committee wants it to be made between 2028 and the beginning of 2030.
Fear of Delay
Several parties are concerned that the process will drag on, making the alternative of developing a new Swedish fighter jet system impractical.
If you drag it out for too long, it may be that Saab has lost so much development competence that this is no longer possible to implement in practice, says committee chairman Peter Hultqvist (S).
The government has previously tasked the Defence Forces with conducting a study on what requirements should be placed on future fighter jets. An inquiry with a parliamentary reference group will also be set up to make a decision on what will replace the Jas 39 Gripen.
The committee also emphasizes the importance of preserving Swedish expertise and Swedish capability development in the process leading up to the decision.
Important Defence Industry
According to Mikael Oscarsson (KD), more focus will now be placed in the preparatory work ahead of the fighter jet decision on the alternatives of developing future fighter jets in Sweden or together with a foreign actor.
What we have in the form of fighter jets, for example in Linköping, is something that is of utmost importance for Sweden. In the security situation we have, our defence industry is of very great importance, he says.
The third alternative – buying a finished fighter jet, in practice from the USA – will remain. But according to some committee members, it is primarily to maintain competition and keep the price tag of a Swedish-produced fighter jet down.
What we agree on is a step forward where the balance leans more clearly towards the Swedish and Swedish-foreign alternatives, says Hultqvist.
Hanna Gunnarsson (V) does not believe that buying American is a real alternative.
We need a fighter jet developed for Nordic conditions, she says.
