Ukraine's First 36 Gripen Fighters Are On The Way
Firing Meteor missiles, the Gripens could push back Russian glide bombers
It’s official. Ukraine is getting 36 Saab JAS-39 Gripen fighters from Sweden. Equally importantly, it’s getting Meteor long-range air-to-air missiles to arm the supersonic jets.
Gripens firing Meteors from 120 miles away could help the Ukrainian air force finally push back against Russian air force Sukhoi fighters that relentlessly bombard Ukrainian positions with KAB precision glide bombs at a rate of thousands of bombs a month.
Blunting the KAB campaign would take a lot of the pressure off Ukrainian brigades and give them the time and space to improve their fortifications. The result, once the Gripens are in action, should be a much stiffer Ukrainian line.
Swedish defense minister Pål Jonson announced the Gripen deal on Thursday.
Ukraine will buy 20 new Gripen E/Fs using 2.5 billion Euros from an E.U. loan. The next-generation Gripen E/Fs will arrive around 2030.
In the meantime, Sweden will donate 16 older Gripen C/Ds from Swedish air force surplus stocks.
The Gripen package also includes training, logistical support, electronic warfare systems … and MBDA Meteor missiles.
The Gripen’s E.W., ease of maintenance and rough airstrip capability are helpful. But the Meteors are crucial.
