Saab has said Portuguese aerospace company OGMA could play a role in producing parts for the Gripen fighter if Portugal eventually selects the aircraft to replace its aging F-16 fleet, as the Swedish manufacturer steps up its industrial pitch in a competition that is still at an early stage.
In comments published by Portuguese outlet ECO, Saab said OGMA has “a lot of potential” to participate in Gripen production in Portugal. The company reportedly pointed to a cooperation model similar to the one it has already developed in Brazil, where Saab and Embraer have established a broad industrial partnership around the Gripen program.
OGMA, based in Alverca, is a Portuguese aerospace company active in maintenance and manufacturing, and closely linked to Embraer, which holds a majority stake in the firm. That connection gives Saab a natural industrial bridge to the same Brazilian group already deeply involved in the Gripen ecosystem through its partnership with the Swedish manufacturer in Brazil.
According to the ECO report, the company is presenting the Gripen as “an excellent product” for Portugal and has stressed that part of the investment linked to a future order could remain in the country through local production work.
The Swedish manufacturer has made similar industry-focused arguments in other campaigns, including in Canada, where it has repeatedly tied its Gripen offer to promises of local jobs and long-term industrial participation.
No formal fighter competition yet
Saab’s outreach comes even though Portugal has not yet launched a formal procurement process for a new fighter aircraft.
After the Portuguese Air Force General Staff floated the idea of acquiring “fifth-generation aircraft” in 2019, Portugal signaled in 2025 that it was rethinking whether the US-built F-35 was still the right fit, amid concerns about relying too heavily on Washington in a shifting geopolitical environment.
In February 2026, the US ambassador to Portugal publicly urged Lisbon to buy the F-35, framing it as the path toward interoperability with Europe’s “top-tier” air forces.
