Sweden open to Gripen E/F sale to Ukraine, but only after war ends

Sweden has indicated it is open to selling Saab Gripen fighters to Ukraine once the war with Russia ends.  

Speaking at the MSPO defense show in Poland, Defense Minister Pål Jonson told Breaking Defense that the Gripen E/F, the newest variant of the Swedish fighter, could be a potential option for Ukraine in the long term. Jonson stressed, however, that any such deal would only be possible after hostilities ceased. 

This is not the first time the Swedish jet has been discussed as an option for Ukraine Ukraine. In 2023, Stockholm explored a limited transfer of Gripen C/D aircraft, and Ukrainian pilots were given the chance to train on the type. The plan was put on hold in mid-2024 after allies urged Kyiv to focus first on integrating F-16s, warning that introducing two different Western fighters simultaneously could strain training and logistics.  

Even so, Sweden continued to prepare the ground. Its 17th support package later that year included fighter spares and, more significantly, a pledge to deliver two Saab ASC 890 airborne surveillance and control aircraft, a capability expected to transform Ukraine’s ability to monitor the skies and coordinate defenses. 

“We stand open to discuss,” Jonson said about a second-hand transfer of the Gripen C/D. “I talked, of course, with my Ukrainian counterpart when I was in Kyiv last week.” 

The two Gripen variants represent very different options for Ukraine. The Gripen C/D, in service since the mid-2000s, is a lighter multirole fighter powered by the Volvo RM12 engine, with a proven ability to operate from short or dispersed runways and requiring relatively modest ground support. As a second-hand transfer, it could be introduced more quickly and with lower sustainment demands.  

The newer Gripen E/F, by contrast, incorporates the more powerful General Electric F414 engine, an extended combat radius, the Raven ES-05 AESA radar, and advanced electronic warfare and datalink systems. These upgrades give it significantly greater survivability and networked strike capability but also mean a longer procurement and training timeline. 

But acquiring newly built aircraft would require more time, resources and training capacity, which is why Jonson described it as a post-war option rather than an immediate solution. 

Building Ukraine’s future air fleet 

While the prospect of a Gripen transfer remains on hold, cooperation between Kyiv and Saab has continued.

On May 23, 2025, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defence for Aviation Development Oleksandr Kozenko met with a Swedish delegation to discuss integrating Swedish avionics into Soviet-era jets. The upgrades under consideration include modern radars, defensive aids, and electronic warfare suites, a way to boost survivability in the near term while Ukraine waits for more advanced aircraft. 

Ukraine has already shown creativity in bridging the gap between old airframes and new weapons, from adapting MiG-29s and Su-27s to fire US-made HARM anti-radar missiles, to modifying Su-24 bombers to carry SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles and French AASM Hammer bombs.  

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Beyond fighters, Sweden has already committed other advanced air assets to Ukraine. In May 2024, Stockholm pledged to deliver two Saab ASC 890 airborne surveillance and control aircraft. Equipped with an Erieye radar, the ASC 890 enhances Ukraine’s ability to detect and track aerial threats, coordinate air defenses, and manage fighter operations, a capability that could complement any future Gripen deal. 

The arrival of French Mirage 2000-5 fighters earlier in 2025 has added another Western type to the mix, sparking fresh debate over how many platforms Ukraine’s air force can effectively integrate and what should come next. The post Sweden open to Gripen E/F sale to Ukraine, but only after war ends appeared first on AeroTime.

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