Gripen as a contingency for carrier aircraft shortages

Why consider Gripen for British carriers?

A modified Gripen is proposed as a fallback if the carrier UAV programme fails and delayed F-35B orders leave too few aircraft.

Britain needs more carrier aircraft in this assessment, and Operation Vixen's UAV work does not yet settle that requirement. A short-takeoff Gripen adaptation is proposed if the UAV programme fails and sufficient F-35Bs cannot arrive in time. The argument points to Gripen's active production line, smaller size and British components. Repeated British delays to F-35B orders are blamed for the shortage. This is a contingency proposal that would still require carrier adaptation.