Ukraine has taken a significant step forward in its efforts to procure fourth-generation fighter jets designed to fly on challenging airfields. Ukrainian and Swedish officials announced on 22 October the signing of a Letter of Intent to export 100 to 150 JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets to Kiev. This potential deal could give war-torn Ukraine a critical advantage against a wide range of electronic warfare and missile threats.
Large Order and Seeking Long-Term Financing
Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson has confirmed that Ukraine has requested 100 to 150 aircraft, especially in version E, the latest model of the Gripen. Minister Jonson said that the Stockholm government was considering different long-term mechanisms to finance an order of this magnitude.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated at a press conference held in Linköping, the headquarters of the Swedish aviation company Saab, that the first Gripen deliveries could begin in about three years. “So, in practice, we are talking about three years,” Kristersson said, recalling that production of the latest generation Gripen E has just started in Sweden. The Prime Minister also added that the construction and delivery of 150 units to Ukraine could take 10 years or more.
Critical Importance of Gripen E for Ukraine
According to Saab’s website, the E version, the most advanced model of the Gripen family of aircraft, is equipped with high-end electronic warfare capabilities. These jets could be of particularly great benefit to the Ukrainian Air Force, given the pressures of war and the central role of dispersed air operations. Thanks to Gripen’s design, the aircraft can operate from shorter and more protected runways.
It is also stated that Gripen E will provide the Ukrainian Air Force with the ability to perform air-to-air or air-to-ground combat missions over longer distances and with heavier loads.
This potential deal is seen as one of the most ambitious and strategic steps Ukraine has taken towards modernising its air force to Western standards and ensuring the country’s long-term defence security.
