Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson is set to visit the Philippines on 23 July for talks with Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on defence cooperation and the possible purchase of Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets.
Teodoro confirmed that bilateral defence ties and the potential procurement of the JAS 39 Gripen will be among the main topics of the meeting in Manila.
“As the public already knows, one of the things we are looking at, if funding is available, is the Gripen,” Teodoro told reporters.
The JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight, single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by Swedish defence company Saab. It has been proposed to the Philippine Air Force as part of its ongoing military modernisation programme.
Teodoro said he had not received any indication that a possible Status of Visiting Forces Agreement between Sweden and the Philippines would be discussed during the meeting.
Jonson and Teodoro last met in 2025 on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Jonson also visited the Philippines in 2024. The trip marked the first official visit by a Swedish defence minister to the country.
The upcoming meeting is expected to continue defence discussions between the two countries, with the possible Gripen acquisition remaining one of the key issues on the agenda.
