Sweden has no plans to transfer Gripen fighters to Ukraine yet

Sweden does not plan on transferring Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine because of the need for these aircraft in the Swedish Air Force. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said this to TV4. "Sweden is a geographically large country, we have to defend ourselves, and we are not yet in NATO.

It's a balancing act between what we can share with them and what we have to have ourselves. We are now part of the so-called F-16 coalition, where we are working with 14 countries to ensure that Ukraine gets the flying capabilities," said Ulf Christersson. Currently, the Swedish Air Force has 94 Gripen aircraft: 70 of the C version and 24 of the D version.

In total, the country has ordered 204 aircraft, of which:

  • 98 aircraft are in the Swedish Air Force;
  • 32 aircraft were utilized and dismantled;
  • 28 aircraft are leased in the Czech Republic and Hungary;
  • 12 aircraft were sold to Thailand;
  • 4 aircraft are used as a flying laboratory;
  • 4 aircraft were lost in the accident;
  • 2 aircraft were handed over to the museum.

In addition, in order to save about 30 mothballed aircraft, the A/B version will become a platform for upgrading to the E/F version. In total, the country aims to maintain 60 E version aircraft in its air force.

Gripen E 39-6012 fighter jet of the Swedish Air Force. Photo from the network

According to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian pilots are testing Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft.

The President of Ukraine also said that he had held talks on future steps that would open up the possibility for Ukraine to receive those aircraft. "I will meet with the Speaker of the Parliament, representatives of parliamentary forces, and raise this issue as one of the key ones to protect our skies," he said. Swedish Defense Minister Paul Johnson told TV4 Nyheterna that Ukrainian pilots would also undergo training on simulators.

The United Kingdom can help with pilot training on Gripen aircraft. One Gripen D is used by the Empire Test Pilots' School, where the aircraft is on loan.

Gripen D trainer aircraft from the Empire Test Pilots' School. Photo from the network

As Militarnyi previously reported, the Ukrainian pilots of the classes of 2023 and 2016 flew to the UK and Sweden.

In these countries, the young and experienced pilots of Ukraine will master modern combat aircraft.

Tags: