Ukraine is poised to order 20 Saab Gripen E/F fighter jets from Sweden and receive up to 16 second-hand Gripen C/D jets in the interim to bolster its combat prowess. This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in a press conference during the Ukrainian leader’s visit to an airbase in Uppsala, Sweden, on May 28.
“Ukraine has clearly identified Gripen as the priority choice for its air force in the long term and intends to acquire the newest version, Gripen E,” Kristersson said at the conference.
The Swedish Prime Minister stated that negotiations for the latest Gripen are underway, and deliveries of the newer aircraft could begin by 2030. Meanwhile, deliveries of the older Gripen C/D could begin early next year, after Kyiv officially finalizes the purchase deal and Stockholm secures the necessary export approvals, he added.
Additionally, the Swedish government has stated that Kyiv intends to fund the package for the more advanced Gripen combat aircraft with €2.5 billion ($2.9 billion) from the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan.
“As a first step, the Swedish Government enables the procurement of up to twenty Gripen E/F aircraft, for which Ukraine plans to allocate 2,5 billion euros from the EU´s Ukraine Support Loan. When Ukraine proceeds with the intended purchase, Sweden also aims to donate sixteen Gripen C/D aircraft as bilateral assistance,” a statement from the Swedish Prime Minister’s office noted.
🇸🇪🇺🇦 The Gripens are coming.
Russia tried to break Ukraine from the skies. Ukraine is now building air power with Swedish fighters: buying up to 20 Gripen E/F for its future air force, while Sweden will donate 16 Gripen C/D.
A new chapter for Ukraine’s air defence. (1/8) pic.twitter.com/HV3eeIZ6sV
— Pål Jonson (@PlJonson) May 28, 2026
“In addition to enabling the donation of Gripen C/D aircraft, it also includes long-range capabilities, ammunition, electronic warfare capabilities, and support to innovation,” the statement noted, referring to the military support package unveiled for Ukraine.
The donation is said to include advanced ammunition—potentially IRIS-T missiles, advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM), and long-range METEOR air-to-air missiles—which would help Kyiv keep Russian fighter jets at bay.
It is pertinent to note that the latest announcement on the transfer of older Gripen jets marks a tectonic shift in Sweden’s policy, particularly given that the country had repeatedly rejected all Ukrainian requests for the aircraft over the last four years, even as other NATO allies transferred their older F-16s and Mirages.
“This is truly a historic event, a historic day for our cooperation and for our countries,” Zelensky said at the press conference. “We’re talking specifically about a squadron of Gripens for Ukraine, and this is tremendously important support for us,” he added.
The major breakthrough in the purchase of newer Gripen-E/F jets was welcomed by the manufacturer, Saab. “I am very proud of today’s announcement that Sweden and Ukraine, together with Saab, are taking further steps towards giving Ukraine access to Gripen, which is the world’s most advanced fighter. We look forward to supporting Ukraine’s acquisition of Gripen and the Swedish authorities in replacing the donated aircraft,” Micael Johansson, CEO and President of Saab, was quoted as saying in the company press statement.
A Ukrainian pilot with call sign Karaya described the Gripen as the “ideal option” in a social media post last year. In fact, such is the appeal of the aircraft that Karaya said, “For me, the JAS-39 is the only fighter jet in the world I’d be willing to sell my soul for.”
Ukraine has long sought the Gripen because the jet has been specifically designed with Russia as the primary threat in mind. This aircraft can take off and land quickly, allowing it to operate from taxiways, small public airports, and motorways and undertake scattered operations, which is instrumental for Kyiv as it deals with the bombardment of its air bases.
With excellent sensor fusion, powerful AESA radar, low operating costs, and the ability to operate effectively from dispersed and austere airfields, the Gripen is considered a powerful platform for Ukraine.
The latest and more advanced Saab Gripen-E/F can identify, track, and engage multiple targets over long distances, thanks to its state-of-the-art electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, advanced infrared search-and-track (IRST) systems, and an AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar. Moreover, the aircraft can transition seamlessly between reconnaissance, air-to-ground, and air-to-air operations.
The Gripen-E/F supports a variety of NATO-compatible weaponry, including AMRAAM and Meteor missiles, as well as precision-guided munitions such as JDAMs, enabling Ukraine to acquire intelligence, defend its airspace, and launch strikes against Russian ground targets.
The Ukrainian Gripen could be equipped with the Meteor missile, widely regarded as the longest-range Western air-to-air missile. The lethal missile maintains high speed and maneuverability throughout its flight, giving fighter pilots a decisive “no-escape zone” advantage over adversaries.
The Gripen-Meteor combination could prove very useful for targeting Russian aircraft, particularly the notorious Su-34 and Su-35, which launch guided aerial bombs from standoff distances, as previously explained by EurAsian Times in a detailed report.
The eventual sale of 100-150 Gripen-E jets would revive the Gripen-E/F’s fortunes in a big way, especially since these cutting-edge fighters have lost to the French Rafale and the US F-35 Lightning II in fighter jet contracts across Europe and beyond over the last several years. Currently, the aircraft is operated only by Sweden and Brazil, whereas new orders have been received from Thailand and Colombia in the last two years.
Meanwhile, the Meteor missile — with its ability to engage aerial targets at ranges exceeding 200 kilometers and speeds beyond Mach 4 — could offer Ukraine a genuine game-changer weapon to fight Russian jets. Designed as a technological leap forward, the Meteor was developed specifically to outperform the US AIM-120 AMRAAM, long considered the gold standard in beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) technology.
President Zelenskyy’s official X post on May 28 said: “Russia’s aerial bombs remain a major challenge for us. Within a month, we are talking about thousands, not even hundreds. Their jets launch glide bombs both from Russian territory and temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory at ranges exceeding 100 kilometers. We have never had enough air defense assets to intercept such bombs. Using these bombs, the Russians wreak destruction across our border communities in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Kharkiv, Sumy, and others. Many cities and villages have been razed to the ground by aerial bombs. Therefore, Gripens with matching weaponry – particularly Meteor missiles that destroy targets at distances exceeding 200 kilometers – will help us push Russian jets away so that they can’t use glide bombs en masse anymore.”
The Meteor can fire multiple shots at a variety of targets, including aircraft, cruise missiles, long-range moving targets, and unmanned aerial vehicles, even in the presence of strong electronic countermeasures. The Meteor provides all-weather capability to engage a wide variety of targets.
Meteor is known for its outstanding kinematic performance, achieved through its distinctive ramjet propulsion system—solid-fuel, variable-flow, ducted rocket.
MBDA emphasizes that this “ramjet” motor creates the greatest No-Escape Zone– within which there is a high kill probability against a target, even if it has been alerted–is more than 60 kilometers. This is believed to be the largest no-escape zone among air-to-air missiles.
The cutting-edge propulsion system also enables the Meteor to conserve fuel during the initial phase of flight, adjust thrust as needed, and maintain endurance and range for extended engagements. The Meteor functions more like a small air-to-air cruise missile than a traditional rocket-propelled missile, with a sophisticated thrust-modulation mechanism that enables fine control throughout its flight.
The missile can also adjust its performance across a variety of tactical contexts during combat. It maintains high velocity throughout its flight and dynamically controls its energy to be extremely effective in both close- and long-range combat. This feature enhances Meteor’s agility and targeting accuracy against agile, evasive adversaries, making it even deadlier.
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