Overview
- Officials announced Thursday that Ukraine intends to purchase up to 20 Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F fighters and that Sweden will donate up to 16 older Gripen C/D aircraft as immediate assistance.
- Kyiv plans to allocate €2.5 billion from the EU Ukraine Support Loan to fund the initial Gripen E/F buy and Sweden has approved budget measures to replace the donated C/Ds in its own air force.
- Sweden and Ukraine say Ukrainian pilots and technicians have already begun Gripen training and that donated C/D deliveries could start in early 2027 while new E/F jets are expected to arrive in phased batches, subject to export approvals and Saab production capacity.
- The support package includes advanced ammunition such as IRIS‑T, AMRAAM and potentially long‑range Meteor missiles and leverages the Gripen’s short‑runway, rapid‑turnaround design to operate from dispersed or damaged airfields.
- Saab has not signed any contract yet and production limits, export clearances and plans for industrial workshare — including significant UK component input and a wider ambition for 100–150 Gripens over time — will shape when and how many aircraft are delivered.