For the first time in history: Ukraine is waiting for Swedish Gripen fighter jets
Ukraine is waiting for the delivery of Swedish Gripen fighter jets, deputy defense minister lieutenant general Ivan Havryliuk has said. The official told this in an interview with the Ukrainian service of the British BBC News.
Havryliuk says additional deliveries of US aircraft are "expected" F-16, and French Mirage and the Swedish Gripen. It should be noted that Ukraine has already received the first and second models of fighter jets from its partners, while the latter has not yet been delivered.
The journalist asked the military officer whether he was referring to the transfer of all these aircraft models or just one of them.
"In fact, you have named the nomenclature correctly [Mirage, Gripen, F-16], but I will not elaborate on when, what, which," Havryliuk replied.
When asked to clarify the number of fighter jets that Ukraine expects, the Deputy Defense Minister said: "Let's wait until you see them in the air over Ukraine, then you will understand."
The maximum payload (with weapons) is 7.2 tons. It has 10 points for suspension of ammunition. The combat range of the aircraft is up to 1500 km.
The Gripen is the most economical fighter jet of the 4th generation. The price of one aircraft is $30-60 million, depending on the configuration and delivery terms.
- In July 2024, the Swedish foreign minister said that the country was ready to provide Ukraine with Gripen fighter jets, but Kyiv refused them, because it decided that having two fighter systems – both F-16s and Gripens – at the same time was too much.
- In September of the same year, then-defense minister Umerov stated that Ukraine expects to receive from Western allies not only F-16s and Mirage-2000s, but also Gripen and Eurofighter.
- In September 2025, the Swedish defense minister said that, following Ukraine's interest, the country was open to selling the Gripen, but after the end of the war.
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