Summary
- Ukraine and Sweden discuss Gripen, but integration issues arise.
- F-16s and Gripens offered, but Ukraine postpones Swedish Gripen until after F-16s arrive.
- Ukraine may operate up to 4 Western fighter jet types by 2025.
Ukraine and Sweden are reportedly in talks about the delivery of Saab JAS39 Gripen fighter jets (although it appears Ukraine has turned down the offer – at least for now). The arrival of F-16 Fighting Falcons to Ukraine is seemingly imminent (or even in the process of being transferred now). Still, the path for Ukraine to receive Western fighter jets has been a bumpy and dramatic ride, to say the least. Questions remain about exactly what Western aircraft Ukraine will be receiving.
Swedish Gripen delivery postponed
In recent days, seemingly contradictory headlines have been running about the potential delivery of Swedish Gripens to Ukraine. Ukrinform ran the headline “Ukraine, Sweden negotiating Gripen Supplies,” while Aerospace Global News’ headline read, “Ukraine rejects Swedish Gripen fighter jet offer.”
Photo: Steam Visuals | Shutterstock
According to the Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Ihor Zhovkva, Ukraine has long been in talks to receive Swedish Gripens. “These fighter jets are as good as the F-16, and we are moving in that direction.” However, it was also reported that Ukraine has decided it is too difficult to integrate different types of Western fighter jet systems at the same time.
The Swedes, for their part, have stated that Sweden remains open to supplying its fighter jets to Ukraine. Tobias Billström, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, has suggested that Sweden is open to supplying them after F-16s have arrived. For now, Sweden is donating its two Erieye radar-equipped ASC 890 AWACS aircraft to Ukraine, which will function as significant enablers for the F-16s.
Some commentators suggest that the Swedish Gripens would be better for Ukraine than the aging versions of the F-16 Ukraine is about to receive. The Gripens are newer and are designed to need a smaller crew, land anywhere, refuel quickly, and take off quickly. This would make them more difficult for Russia to target and destroy on the ground.
Related
Ukrainian Air Force Gains 30 F-16s From Belgium But Can’t Fly Them Over Russia
Belgium has announced it will supply 30 F-16s to Ukraine, bringing the total to 85 (while also limiting the jets’ use).
Four Western fighter jets in 2025?
But F-16s and Gripens are not the only Western jets in the offering for Ukraine. France has announced it will be donating an unspecified number of Mirage 2000-5s (training is to be completed by the end of the year). While Argentina has announced it will return five non-operational Super-Étendard fighter jets back to France to be restored and sent to Ukraine. This raises the prospect that sometime in 2025, Ukraine could be operating as many as four types of Western fighter jets.
Training the pilots, maintaining them, and establishing supply networks for Western jets is a mammoth task. Ukraine has a long history of operating fighter jets and even building many of the key components. The An-225—the largest aircraft built—was built in the Ukrainian SSR. But Western jets are very different from the Soviet aircraft Ukraine has extensive expertise maintaining and flying.