Ukraine and Sweden are currently negotiating the transfer of Saab JAS-39 Gripen fighters to Kyiv once the country is ready to receive them, according to Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swedish officials have been in discussions regarding the transfer of Gripen fighters since 2023.
“For obvious reasons, Sweden was not ready to make any promises then, as the country had finalized its membership in the Alliance. Now the country is in NATO, and my president is talking to the Swedish prime minister again, and our defense ministry is talking to the relevant Swedish authorities. These fighters are as good as F-16s and we are moving in this direction,” Zhovkva said in an interview with the Voice of America (VOA) on July 14, 2024.
However, Zhovkva noted that Sweden was understandably hesitant to make commitments while finalizing their NATO membership. On July 14, 2024, Ukrainian sources like UNN, Censor.net, Voice of America (VOA), reported that the delivery of Gripen fighter jets had been postponed because Kyiv was first given F-16 aircraft and it would be too challenging to implement two fighter systems at the same time.
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a single engine light fighter aircraft, manufactured by Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab AB. It is powered by a RM12 Engine supplied by Volvo Aero. The Gripen can reach 2,125 km/h and refuel quickly using mobile forward arming and refueling points.
The Gripen is designed to operate from dispersed airfields, using roads and runways, with minimal support team needed. This feature could be useful for Ukraine since most of its airfields and air bases are vulnerable to Russian attacks. This aircraft is capable of countering current and future threats and can perform various military missions such as air strikes, ground attacks, and reconnaissance missions.
On March 11, 2024, Swedish JAS-39 Gripen fighters completed their first NATO mission since Sweden became a full-fledged member of the alliance, during which a Russian Tu-134 airliner was detected flying over the Baltic Sea.
The agreement to provide Ukraine with Gripen jets is a part of a security agreement signed by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. According to the agreement, Sweden will provide around €6.5 billion to Ukraine during 2024–2026. Military support will include aviation and air defense, armored vehicles, artillery, strengthened maritime, assistance in demining, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
