Saab Gripen
Hacker ApprovedFighter jet
Recommended as a cheaper fighter that runs from short, rough airstrips and is cheap to operate. Critics say it is far weaker than the F-35 for offensive strikes.
24 people recommended Saab Gripen in Hacker News comments, 5 had mixed feelings and 6 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026.
Summary written by Claude from 36 comments.
35 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 24
- mixed feelings
- 5
- warn against or regret it
- 6
The record
Recommended in 9 of 12 months
In 16 different threads.
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
Why it carries the badge
- 24 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 4 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 9 of 12 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
- Recommended in 16 threadsNeeds 5 or more, met.
- The biggest thread supplies 17% of its recommendersNeeds half or less, met.
The same rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. Mixed feelings count toward neither side. How the badge works
What people say about it
Reasons grouped from a sample of 34 of the 38 opinions about it, picked in proportion to how many people recommend it, have mixed feelings and criticize it. Each mark is one comment in the sample. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Operates from roads and short strips
“the Gripen the “test condition” was “Needs to be serviceable by a few conscripts working under the direction of one person”
Comment from 23 May 2026 in “SpaceX launches Starship v3 rocket” “Saab, which stresses operating from minimal airfields and roads, has aircraft better suited to that.”
Comment from 28 May 2026 in “Canada to order military plane fleet from Sweden in shift from US suppliers” “The Gripen has a dispersed field capability that can be supported by only 2 trained men”
Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Trump's Devastating Plan for Ukraine” - Comment from 9 Mar 2026 in “DARPA's new X-76 Experimental Plane”
- Comment from 23 May 2026 in “SpaceX launches Starship v3 rocket”
Cheaper to buy and operate
“Factoring in the cost of flying and the availability makes the Grippen about half the cost.”
Comment from 9 Mar 2026 in “DARPA's new X-76 Experimental Plane” “The planes are cheaper to operate and probably more suited for Canadas needs”
Comment from 2 Jun 2026 in “Canada considers cancelling part of U.S. F-35 order to buy 60 Swedish Gripen” “It is very cheap to buy and operate, and has pretty good capabilities.”
Comment from 7 Dec 2025 in “The C++ standard for the F-35 Fighter Jet [video]” - Comment from 26 Nov 2025 in “F-35 beat Gripen fighter jet 'by a mile' in 2021 Defence Department competition”
- Comment from 25 Apr 2026 in “NATO eyes Saab GlobalEye to replace AWACS planes in historic shift from the U.S.”
Suited to Canada's arctic defence needs
“designed specifically for defence against russia in an arctic environment”
Comment from 2 Jun 2026 in “Canada considers cancelling part of U.S. F-35 order to buy 60 Swedish Gripen” “the smaller Saab better fits the mission profile for Canada”
Comment from 27 May 2026 in “Canada to order military plane fleet from Sweden in shift from US suppliers” Can be built and maintained locally
“Being able to build and maintain them yourself seems like a big plus.”
Comment from 21 Apr 2026 in “F-35 is a masterpiece built for the wrong war” “five more Gripen factories being built across the continent”
Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Trump's Devastating Plan for Ukraine”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Vulnerable to modern anti-air missiles
“4th generation platforms like Grippen are not survivable in a modern air defense environment”
Comment from 9 Mar 2026 in “DARPA's new X-76 Experimental Plane” “Gripen will not be able to fly higher than tree lines in zones with active anti-air.”
Comment from 23 May 2026 in “SpaceX launches Starship v3 rocket” “Gripen is an old airframe useless modern combat. It will be shot down from far away.”
Comment from 3 Jun 2026 in “CT scans of BYD car parts” - Comment from 9 Mar 2026 in “DARPA's new X-76 Experimental Plane”
Weaker than F-35 for strikes
“The Gripen is fine for defensive missions but it's not even remotely close to the F-35A for offensive strikes.”
Comment from 19 Feb 2026 in “Germany seeking more F-35 jets as European fighter program falters” “The Saab is a less capable plane, for sure, but it doesn't leave Canada”
Comment from 5 Feb 2026 in “NDP wants Carney to kill U.S. fighter jet contract in favour of Swedish aircraft” Engine sourced from US, export risk
“JAS 39 Gripen is using a US engine with export controls, so they could stop that too”
Comment from 5 Dec 2025 in “SpaceX in Talks for Share Sale That Would Boost Valuation to $800B” “Yes, this is a problem and SAAB should return to using Volvo engines”
Comment from 5 Feb 2026 in “NDP wants Carney to kill U.S. fighter jet contract in favour of Swedish aircraft”
What people said
34 of the 38 opinions about it, picked in proportion to the three counts, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“Gripen is an old airframe useless modern combat. It will be shot down from far away.”
“designed specifically for defence against russia in an arctic environment”
“The planes are cheaper to operate and probably more suited for Canadas needs”
“Saab, which stresses operating from minimal airfields and roads, has aircraft better suited to that.”
“things like the Saab are reasonable”
“the smaller Saab better fits the mission profile for Canada”
“it is one of the best western fighters if a full blown war happens and your bases are all destroyed”
“Gripen will not be able to fly higher than tree lines in zones with active anti-air.”
“the Gripen the “test condition” was “Needs to be serviceable by a few conscripts working under the direction of one person”
“which can land on a freeway and be up in the air again in a few minutes”
“the gripen also has a much lower total cost of ownership”
“Being able to build and maintain them yourself seems like a big plus.”
“The Grippen is incredibly vulnerable to anti air missiles.”
“4th generation platforms like Grippen are not survivable in a modern air defense environment”
“The Gripen is a fantastic jet”
“Factoring in the cost of flying and the availability makes the Grippen about half the cost.”
“does not need a traditional runway (500 meters of something "flat enough" will do”
“The Gripen is fine for defensive missions but it's not even remotely close to the F-35A for offensive strikes.”
“focus on an existing fighter like the Gripen and on drones”
“Yes, this is a problem and SAAB should return to using Volvo engines”
“Gripens with external tanks outrange F35 with external tanks flying dirty”
“The Saab is a less capable plane, for sure, but it doesn't leave Canada”
“for most tasks the Canadian Air Force performs the Gripen would be perfect”
“A Gripen in the air will perform a lot better than a F-35 on the ground”
“get Gripens and/or Rafales”
“comparable in cost to alternatives like the Gripen or Rafale”
“It is very cheap to buy and operate, and has pretty good capabilities.”
“they may be better off with European ones ( Gripen”
“JAS 39 Gripen is using a US engine with export controls, so they could stop that too”
“it would make more sense to get the Gripen and save a ton of money”
“the Gripen should be a mainstay in EU air forces on merit alone”
“The Gripen has a dispersed field capability that can be supported by only 2 trained men”
“I'm a huge fan of the Gripen myself, and it's arguably the better fighter aircraft if you're in a WVR dogfight”
“five more Gripen factories being built across the continent”
Counts come from 1,791,911 Hacker News comments labeled by Claude, November 2025 to October 2026, with data through October 31, 2026. Counts updated 2 Nov 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.