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Philosophy and fighter jets (51)

Cold nation, cool ideas

One of the places I’ve always wanted to visit is Sweden. Despite the harsh weather and small population, the Swedes consistently punch above their weight. They excel in fashion (H&M), tech (Spotify), automotive (Volvo, SAAB), and even pop culture (ABBA). This efficiency and global impact piqued my curiosity and led me to start planning a trip.

But the Swedes have also managed to build something most people don’t associate with small nations: a cutting-edge fighter jet. Fighter jets are notoriously complex. They require expertise in aeronautics, advanced electronics, access to rare materials, and a deep understanding of systems integration—all packaged into a machine that must survive modern warfare. That’s why most countries source their defense aircraft from military superpowers.

A tale of three jets

You might now be wondering: how did Sweden manage to develop a modern fighter jet — the Gripen (the Griffin) — on a relatively modest budget of less than €3 billion?

To grasp the significance of this feat, let’s compare it with two other major fighter programs: the American F-35, with a development cost of over $316/€280 billion, and the French Rafale, which cost roughly within the ballpark of €45 billion.

Of course, these jets have different capabilities and operational philosophies. But even with these differences, comparing them reveals something deeper: the distinct cultural and political ideas that shape each nation’s approach to war, defense, and technology.

  • Gripen: The engineers at SAAB designed the Gripen with Sweden’s unique defensive needs in mind. The aircraft had to operate from highways, be inexpensive to maintain, and allow for easy modular upgrades. The Swedish solution was smart outsourcing: the radar system came from the UK, the engine from the US, and other parts from international suppliers. But SAAB took full responsibility for integration and interface—turning global parts into a seamless, uniquely Swedish machine. The Gripen is lean, nimble, and made for defense, not dominance.

  • F35: Lockheed Martin had a very different set of challenges. In the US, passing military budgets through Congress is difficult without wide political buy-in. The solution? Spread the project across all 50 states, ensuring every congressional district has a stake. As a result, the F-35 became a massive, multipurpose project: air superiority, stealth, battlefield networking, and interoperability with the entire US and NATO military infrastructure. It’s less a fighter jet and more a flying node in a global defense system—expensive, expansive, and reflective of America’s global reach.

  • Rafale: France took a third path. Guided by Gaullist principles of national independence, Dassault designed the Rafale to be 100% domestically sourced. It had to serve across land, sea, and air missions, including nuclear strike capability. Autonomy was the goal—not just for France’s foreign policy, but for its industry. The Rafale is versatile and deadly, and it’s a testament to France’s determination to remain strategically and technologically self-reliant.
In the end, fighter jets aren’t just feats of engineering—they're flying embodiments of national identity, politics, and philosophy. Sweden’s Gripen is a model of pragmatism and interoperability. America’s F-35, a manifestation of complex bureaucracy and global dominance. France’s Rafale is a testament to independence and industrial sovereignty. When we look we build anything, we ultimately find that it is a building statements about ourselves and our values.
 

 

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