Ukraine Could Still Buy Sweden’s “Gripen” Fighters
While no plan is currently in place involving the imminent transfer of Gripen jets to Ukraine, the fourth-generation platform should not be dismissed as less capable than its Western counterparts.
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth year, the United States and its NATO allies have provided billions of dollars’ worth of weapons and other military systems to support Kyiv’s defensive efforts. From main battle tanks (MBTs) and infantry fighting vehicles to munitions and even airframes, Ukrainian forces are armed with some of the leading arms available across the globe.
One of the more contentious deliveries to Kyiv has been in the form of fighter aircraft. Fourth generation jets, including the American-made F-16 Fighting Falcon and French-made Mirage 2000, have already made their way to Europe and are expected to bolster Kyiv’s aerial prowess against the better-equipped Russian forces. Earlier this month, the Netherlands and France respectively delivered a slew of F-16 and Mirage 2000-5 fighters. While Ukrainian officials were ecstatic with this acquisition, the nation still hopes to receive additional fighters—potentially including the JAS 39 Gripen platform—down the line.
Kyiv Has Received a Slew of Western Fighters To Date
The head of the Gripen’s Swedish manufacturer, Saab, reportedly remains optimistic that Kyiv could fly the Swedish fighter platform in the future. According to Breaking Defense, Saab CEO Michael Johansson asserted that the process of providing these fighters to Ukraine is “purely a political decision” that he hopes will come to fruition “over time.”
Over the summer, Sweden announced it would be suspending its plans to deliver Gripen fighters to Kyiv, in order to help Ukrainian pilots to focus on learning to fly the F-16 and Mirage platforms instead. “Our partners in the air force coalition underline that there are significant complexities involved in introducing two fighter jet systems simultaneously and that the focus should be on introducing the F-16 system in the Ukrainian air force,” a Saab spokesperson detailed.
Introducing the JAS 39 Gripen
While no plan is currently in place involving the imminent transfer of Gripen jets to Ukraine, the fourth-generation platform should not be dismissed as less capable than its Western counterparts. In fact, the Swedish platform is arguably the nation’s most impressive jet to date.
The JAS 39 was initially developed to act as a successor to the Draken and Viggen platforms. Able to fly faster than its predecessors at a top speed of Mach-2.0, the resulting Gripen was also designed to sport a larger payload. The fighter is compatible with a wide array of armaments, including the AIM-9 Sidewinder, the RBS-15 anti-ship missile, the 27mm Mauser BK-27 cannon and the MBDA Meteor missile.
Could Ukraine Still Get the Gripen?
In recent years, the Gripen has notably seen success on the export market—first acquired by Hungary and the Czech Republic in the late 1990s, and more recently procured by South Africa and Brazil. The platform’s relative affordability and upgraded capabilities make it a favorite among its international clients. If the JAS 39 platform does make it to the front lines of the Russian-Ukraine war down the line, the fighters would undoubtedly elevate Kyiv’s aerial prowess in the skies.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: Shutterstock.