The Swedish Air Force placed a total order for 204 Gripens in three batches.
 The first delivery occurred on 8 June 1993, when 39102 was handed over to the Flygvapnet during a ceremony at Linköping; the last was handed over on 13 December 1996.
 The air force received its first Batch II example on 19 December 1996.
 Instead of the fixed-price agreement of Batch I, Batch II aircraft were paid as a "target price" concept: any cost underruns or overruns would be split between FMV and Saab.

The JAS 39 entered service with the Skaraborg Air Force Wing (F 7) on 1 November 1997.
 The final Batch three aircraft was delivered to FMV on 26 November 2008.
 This was accomplished at 10% less than the agreed-upon price for the batch, putting the JAS 39C flyaway cost at under US$30 million.
 This batch of Gripens was equipped for in-flight refuelling from specially equipped TP84s.
 In 2007, a programme was started to upgrade 31 of the air force's JAS 39A/B fighters to JAS 39C/Ds.
 The SwAF had a combined 134 JAS 39s in service in January 2013.
 In March 2015, the Swedish Air Force received its final JAS 39C.
On 29 March 2011, the Swedish parliament approved the Swedish Air Force for a 3-month deployment to support the UN-mandated no-fly zone over Libya.
Deployment of eight Gripens, ten pilots, and other personnel began on 2 April.
On 8 June 2011, the Swedish government announced an agreement to extend the deployment for five of the Gripens.
 By October 2011, Gripens had flown more than 650 combat missions, almost 2,000 flight hours, and delivered approximately 2,000 reconnaissance reports to NATO.
 Journalist Tim Hepher suggested that the Libyan operations might stimulate sales of the Gripen and other aircraft.

In November 2012, Lieutenant Colonel Lars Helmrich of the Swedish Air Force testified to the Riksdag regarding the Gripen E.  He stated that the current version of the Gripen would be outdated in air-to-air combat by 2020.
With 60 Gripens having been judged to be the minimum required to defend Swedish Airspace, the Swedish Air Force wants to have 60–80 Gripens upgraded to the E/F standard by 2020.

On 25 August 2012, the Swedish government announced that 40–60 JAS 39E/F Gripens were expected to be procured and in service by 2023.
On 11 December 2012, the Riksdag approved the purchase of 40 to 60 JAS 39E/Fs with an option to cancel if at least 20 aircraft are not ordered by other customers.
on 17 January 2013, the government approved the deal for 60 JAS 39Es to be delivered between 2018 and 2027.
 On 3 March 2014, the Swedish defence minister stated that another 10 JAS 39Es might be ordered; this was later confirmed by the government.

There are also plans to keep some of the Gripen C/D active after 2025.
This was recommended by the Swedish defence advisory committee in 2019.
The Swedish Air Force placed a total order for 204 Gripens in three batches.  The first delivery occurred on 8 June 1993, when 39102 was handed over to the Flygvapnet during a ceremony at Linköping; the last was handed over on 13 December 1996.  The air force received its first Batch II example on 19 December 1996.  Instead of the fixed-price agreement of Batch I, Batch II aircraft were paid as a "target price" concept: any cost underruns or overruns would be split between FMV and Saab.
The JAS 39 entered service with the Skaraborg Air Force Wing (F 7) on 1 November 1997.  The final Batch three aircraft was delivered to FMV on 26 November 2008.  This was accomplished at 10% less than the agreed-upon price for the batch, putting the JAS 39C flyaway cost at under US$30 million.  This batch of Gripens was equipped for in-flight refuelling from specially equipped TP84s.  In 2007, a programme was started to upgrade 31 of the air force's JAS 39A/B fighters to JAS 39C/Ds.  The SwAF had a combined 134 JAS 39s in service in January 2013.  In March 2015, the Swedish Air Force received its final JAS 39C.
On 29 March 2011, the Swedish parliament approved the Swedish Air Force for a 3-month deployment to support the UN-mandated no-fly zone over Libya. Deployment of eight Gripens, ten pilots, and other personnel began on 2 April. On 8 June 2011, the Swedish government announced an agreement to extend the deployment for five of the Gripens.  By October 2011, Gripens had flown more than 650 combat missions, almost 2,000 flight hours, and delivered approximately 2,000 reconnaissance reports to NATO.  Journalist Tim Hepher suggested that the Libyan operations might stimulate sales of the Gripen and other aircraft.
In November 2012, Lieutenant Colonel Lars Helmrich of the Swedish Air Force testified to the Riksdag regarding the Gripen E.  He stated that the current version of the Gripen would be outdated in air-to-air combat by 2020. With 60 Gripens having been judged to be the minimum required to defend Swedish Airspace, the Swedish Air Force wants to have 60–80 Gripens upgraded to the E/F standard by 2020.
On 25 August 2012, the Swedish government announced that 40–60 JAS 39E/F Gripens were expected to be procured and in service by 2023. On 11 December 2012, the Riksdag approved the purchase of 40 to 60 JAS 39E/Fs with an option to cancel if at least 20 aircraft are not ordered by other customers. on 17 January 2013, the government approved the deal for 60 JAS 39Es to be delivered between 2018 and 2027.  On 3 March 2014, the Swedish defence minister stated that another 10 JAS 39Es might be ordered; this was later confirmed by the government.
There are also plans to keep some of the Gripen C/D active after 2025. This was recommended by the Swedish defence advisory committee in 2019.
Saab JAS 39 Gripen