Just a few years ago, Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter was widely viewed as the world's leading next-generation, high-technology aircraft, with no strong Western competitor.

That's no longer the case.

Saab, the Swedish industrial conglomerate better known in the U.S. for performance cars than airplanes, has impressed potential aircraft buyers with an aggressive marketing campaign for its upgraded Gripen fighter jet.

Denmark and Norway, two nations that have invested in the F-35, are now holding competitions pitting the F-35 against the Gripen. Denmark is also considering the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Defense officials in the Netherlands, pressured by minority parties swayed by Sweden's "buy from your neighbor pitch," are conducting a "review of alternatives" that include the F-35, Gripen, F/A-18 and perhaps later model F-16s.

Led by a cocky, even brash Scotsman with a wicked sense of humor and a sharp needle, Saab has become a presence in the world combat-aircraft market and at events like last week's Farnborough Air Show.

With a boast here and jab there, Bob Kemp, senior vice president of international sales for Gripen, has complicated Lockheed and U.S. government efforts to secure sales for the F-35 and F-16.

"In my opinion, the JSF is not [a fighter], it's a bomb truck," not well-suited to the aerial dogfighting role, Kemp said in an interview at the air show.

If the bad guys are after you in a hot fighter plane, such as the latest Russian designs, Kemp says he wouldn’t want to be an F-35 pilot. "You can't outrun [the enemy plane], and you sure can't out-turn him."