Whereas Ukraine has described Gripens as “anticipated,” Swedish officers have to this point solely acknowledged that future gross sales may very well be mentioned after the warfare, and no switch has been confirmed but.
Ukraine’s Deputy Protection Minister, Lieutenant Basic Ivan Havryliuk, has mentioned that Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets are among the many Western plane “anticipated” to strengthen the nation’s air pressure.
Talking to the BBC, Havryliuk was requested whether or not Ukraine is anticipating deliveries of F-16s, Mirage 2000s and Gripens. “You’ve named the right listing, however I can’t go into particulars on what, when, and the way,” he replied. Pressed additional, he repeated that further deliveries of F-16s, Mirages and Gripens are “anticipated,” including solely: “Whenever you see them within the air over Ukraine, then you’ll perceive.”
“#Ukraine’s Deputy Protection Minister, Lieutenant Basic Ivan Havryliuk, confirmed that Swedish-made #Gripen fighter jets at the moment are a part of the anticipated Western plane provide to Ukraine.”
Src: United 24
BBC Ukraine (G-Transl Pic) pic.twitter.com/ShsRU837OY
— Gripen Information (@GripenNews) September 29, 2025
That is the primary time a senior Ukrainian official has overtly included the Gripen in Kyiv’s listing of incoming plane. Nonetheless, there was no affirmation from Stockholm that the jets might be transferred. Earlier this month, Swedish Protection Minister Pål Jonson mentioned Sweden was open to discussing Gripen gross sales solely after the warfare ends, a place that seems to contradict Havryliuk’s remarks.
Analysts recommend the Deputy Minister might have been alluding to future post-war agreements slightly than imminent deliveries, leaving important uncertainty across the timing and scope of any Gripen switch.
Even when Sweden had been to green-light the provision, coaching and certification hurdles stay appreciable. The F-16 program has already demonstrated that it takes many months to arrange pilots and floor crews for a Western 4th technology platform. The Gripen, whereas designed to be simpler to keep up and function, would nonetheless require a devoted coaching pipeline. With out diverting pilots from the F-16 program, attaining operational Gripen squadrons in very brief time seems unlikely.
Logistics current a good better problem: the addition of yet one more kind would make the Ukrainian fleet much more heterogeneous, with every plane requiring its personal provide chain and technical help. This isn’t unprecedented, as international locations like Greece, Egypt or India function a number of totally different fighter sorts, however it stays a extremely complicated activity, particularly for a nation at warfare. Nonetheless, it may very well be thought-about acceptable given Ukraine’s fixed want for added belongings.
That being mentioned, the Swedish fighter has lengthy been thought-about an ideal candidate for Ukraine, because of its means to carry out dispersed operations from roads and unprepared runways in remoted places with minimal help. Regardless of its comparatively small logistical footprint, Saab’s multirole jet is provided with superior digital warfare techniques, jam-resistant radars and NATO-compatible weapons (by the best way, it could be fascinating to know whether or not the supposed “bundle” contains further air-to-air missiles, such because the Meteor Past Visible Vary Air-to-Air Missile).
In 2023, Ukraine requested the permission for pilots and technicians to guage operationally the Gripen as one of many measures to strengthen the nation’s air defenses till a closing determination on the F-16 arrived. Sweden agreed and granted the opportunity of orientation coaching on the Gripen for the Ukrainian personnel, and on Sept. 14, 2023, Swedish Protection Minister Pål Jonson mentioned, in a written assertion, that Ukrainian pilots had been allowed to check fly the Gripen.
“The orientation coaching has been accomplished and in keeping with the report I obtained from the Armed Forces , the coaching went nicely,” he mentioned within the assertion, again then.
For now, the Gripen stays an “anticipated” functionality slightly than a confirmed one. Havryliuk’s remarks underscore Ukraine’s push to safe further fashionable fighters (together with extra examples of the Western sorts already transferred, just like the F-16 and Mirage 2000), however it’s nonetheless unclear whether or not Swedish jets will really enter service throughout the warfare.
