The real delivery date for the fighters could be 2026.. Interestingly, a few months ago, the Swedish authorities announced their willingness to transfer Gripen fighters to Ukraine, but at that time Kiev firmly rejected this offer, explaining that the air force preferred to focus on technologies related to F-16 fighters.
However, it now appears that there were quiet talks on the subject between both sides. Probably Ukraine wants to have F-16 and Gripen fighters in its fleetbut the latter at a later date, when the war is over and Ukraine can become a member of NATO.
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen was designed to fight against Russia. without NATO support, so we are dealing with a very capable and universal unit that can be armed with advanced air-to-air missiles, including very long-range weapons, as well as air-to-ground missiles and bombs.
There is one catch, though. The fighter’s electronic warfare capabilities were designed to counter both Russian jet radars and ground-based air defense systems, which could currently pose a huge problem for the Ukrainian army, which still relies on Russian equipment or even that remembering the times of the Soviet Union. There may therefore be a possibility of friendly fire. Therefore, it is not surprising that Kiev wants Gripen fighters, but only at a later date, when the situation on the front becomes clearer.
Saab JAS 39 Gripen armament:
- 1 × Mauser BK-27 kal. 27 mm
- 6 × AIM-9 Sidewinder lub IRIS-T
- 4 × AIM-120 AMRAAM, MICA lub Meteor
- 4×GBU-12 or AGM-65 Maverick
- 2 × RBS-15F, 8 × Mark 82
Source: geekweek.interia.pl
