If they were that cheap, SAAB wouldn't be quoting very old F-35 data and Gripen C/D figures.
Here's a closer estimate that puts the F-35A even cheaper per flight hour than a Gripen.
And it also explains why every article and every PR statement can correctly put out different numbers.
Well, it's official sources.
Guy from your link, no disrespect, is about as unbiased and objective as SAAB PR team itself.
The F-35 is only $10 million more than a Gripen. For having much longer range, less drag, stealth, and more advanced systems and sensors, that seems like a bargain. Especially also because you don't need to buy all the infrastructure and associated costs of having an entirely distinct platform.
Fly away price is indeed true; it's frankly hardly surprising, as both have more or less exact system list. F-35 ones are larger, but it by itself doesn't add all that much cost.
It's also larger and will cost
much more over life cycle.
Longer range for F-35 is tied to both being clean. If both are, JAS-39 rather likely has better intercept profile. If both aren't, F-35 isn't stealthy and is rather undefended for what it is (frontal directional jamming only).
Systems and sensors of 10 years old aircraft designed in 2000s shouldn't be overestimated; F-35 isn't magical and immune to technical progress just because it's F-35; outdated EOTS is a good indicator here. Updated block IV is in an endless development hell.
JAS-39, for all its "refresh" status, is the most state of the art western fighter out there. Arguably it's the simplest reason it lost almost all tenders for so long - it didn't even exist until about last year, SAAB literally had nothing to show. Prototype "i promise it'll work" doesn't impress customers, when your main pitch is serviceability.
Infrastructure for F-35 tends to be so expensive(and it is beyond aircraft base price), that few key nations even have full set within national boundaries. Which means significant operational constraints for what they have.
At the same time, Gripen comes with already available Meteor, ASCM, heavy LACM and so on. It will also come with escort jamming - something that F-35 both doesn't have in by itself, and really needs. Most importantly, all these capabilities are outside of US control, and yet Gripen fully uses basic US armament set available to Canada.
The problem, overall, is always the question how much a nation wants an air force, as opposed to paid USAF homage(and feudal obligation to send a few
compagnie d'ordonnance when senior calls the banners). F-35 is a powerful aircraft, but it isn't a single stop solution. F-35 - Gripen E - Erieye is already something closer to an air force design.
