Sweden Is About to Give Ukraine Gripen—the Fighter Jet Built to Strike, Hide, and Fly Again

Sweden is preparing to transfer a batch of JAS 39 Gripen C/D multirole fighter jets to Ukraine, Swedish outlet Aftonbladet reported on May 27.

According to the report, the package is expected to include at least several combat aircraft.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is expected to announce the decision on May 28 during a press conference while visiting the Uppland Air Wing at Uppsala Air Base.

The report also says Sweden and Ukraine will begin talks on a future sale of the newest Gripen variant, the JAS 39 E/F. That potential purchase is expected to be financed through European Union loan funding.

The JAS 39 Gripen C/D is a lightweight, single-engine, supersonic multirole fighter developed by Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed around three core missions: fighter operations, strike missions, and reconnaissance.

One of the Gripen’s most important features for Ukraine is its ability to operate from short and improvised runways. Designed for Sweden’s dispersed airbase concept, the aircraft can land, refuel, and rearm on narrow highway strips as short as 800 meters. A small ground crew can reportedly turn the jet around in under 10 minutes.

That capability could be especially valuable for Ukraine, whose airfields remain constant targets for Russian missile and drone attacks.

The Gripen C/D can switch between air-to-air, air-to-ground, and reconnaissance missions during the same flight. It is equipped with a digital cockpit, helmet-mounted display systems, radar capable of tracking multiple targets, and NATO-compatible weapons.

Its armament options include IRIS-T, AIM-9 Sidewinder, Meteor, and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, as well as precision-guided air-to-surface weapons and anti-ship munitions. The aircraft also carries a built-in 27mm Mauser cannon and has eight external hardpoints.

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Compared with many Western fighter jets, the Gripen is known for relatively low operating costs, easier maintenance, and strong performance in dispersed operations.

The C variant is a single-seat aircraft, while the D variant is a two-seat trainer and combat-capable version. The Gripen C/D can reach speeds of around Mach 2, has a combat radius of roughly 800 kilometers, and can operate at altitudes of up to about 50,000 feet.

If confirmed, the transfer would mark a major step in strengthening Ukraine’s fighter fleet and expanding Kyiv’s access to modern Western combat aviation beyond the F-16.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Navy had, for the first time, demonstrated the combat use of Swedish-made RBS-15 anti-ship missiles during a strike on the “Sivash” drilling platform.

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