Sweden will gift Ukraine 16 Gripen fighters: what makes them special
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced the upcoming transfer to Ukraine of 16 used Gripen fighters and plans to sell 20 units of the new model of this aircraft. He said this at a briefing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson signed a declaration on deepening defense cooperation at the Uppsala airbase. The preliminary document - a letter of intent - was signed during Zelenskyy's previous visit to Sweden.
Sweden is transferring 16 Gripen fighters of the C and D series to Ukraine free of charge. In addition, Ukraine will purchase 20 new machines of the latest modification.
Negotiations regarding the new machines are currently ongoing and are planned to be completed by 2030.
According to Kristersson, Gripen deliveries will begin in 2027. Zelenskyy, for his part, expects to receive the first machines in December 2025 - January 2026.
"We expect to receive the first Gripens within the next 10 months, and we will do everything possible on our side," said the President.
What is known about the Gripen fighters
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a modern Swedish fourth-generation multirole fighter developed by Saab. The name Gripen translates as "griffin."
Main characteristics of the Gripen:
- multirole aircraft: can perform air defense, interception, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions;
- maximum speed - about Mach 2 (over 2400 km/h);
- combat radius - approximately 800–1500 km depending on the mission;
- can use air-to-air, air-to-ground missiles, and precision bombs;
- capable of operating from short runways and even highways;
- requires relatively few technical personnel;
- has lower operating costs compared to many other Western fighters.
Main versions:
Gripen C/D - current serial modifications;
Gripen E/F - newer version with a more powerful radar, greater fuel capacity, and more modern avionics.
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