What is known about Gripen aircraft that Ukrainian Forces will receive from Sweden
Photo: what is known about Gripen aircraft that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will receive from Sweden (Getty Images)
In winter, Ukraine will receive 16 Gripen C and D aircraft from Sweden, and over time will purchase more than two dozen additional Gripen E fighters.
RBC-Ukraine explains what is known about the jet fighters and what weapons they can carry.
JAS 39 Gripen is a Swedish fourth-generation multirole fighter developed by the company Saab.
"As a first step, the Swedish government is providing the opportunity to purchase up to 20 Gripen E/F fighters, for which Ukraine plans to allocate €2.5 billion from the EU loan under the Ukraine Support Loan," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to him, once Ukraine takes the necessary steps to implement the purchase, Sweden also intends to transfer 16 Gripen C/D fighters as part of bilateral assistance. The first aircraft could arrive in Ukraine as early as winter.
Development history
Work on the aircraft began in 1979. The prototype was unveiled on April 26, 1987. The maiden flight was originally scheduled for the same year but was delayed by 18 months due to problems with the flight control system.
On November 1, 1997, the JAS 39 was officially inducted into service with the Swedish Air Force. The fighter has been exported to Czechia, Hungary, South Africa, and Thailand, and Brazil has also decided to purchase the JAS 39. The initial contract included an option to order 110 aircraft, which was exercised in June 1992.
Modifications for Ukraine
It is known that in the first stage, Ukraine will receive aircraft of the C and D modifications. These are aircraft from the so-called third batch, ordered in June 1997. The series consisted of 50 upgraded single-seat JAS 39C aircraft and 14 twin-seat JAS 39D aircraft, known as the Turbo Gripen.
The third-batch aircraft, delivered between 2002 and 2008, feature more powerful and updated avionics compared to the first generation, in-flight refueling capability using retractable probes on the right side of the aircraft, and an onboard oxygen generation system for longer missions.
The Gripen JAS 39E is a single-seat variant developed under the Gripen NG program, which began in the late 2000s. Assembly of the first aircraft started in July 2013, certification was completed in early 2018, and in the same year, the JAS 39E entered serial production.
In addition to its larger size, the E series features a different engine. The JAS 39 C/D uses the Volvo RM12, a licensed and adapted version of the General Electric F404 with 80.5 kN of thrust. The JAS 39 E/F uses the partially localized General Electric F414-GE-39E engine with 98 kN of thrust.
What weapons it can carry
Early versions of the aircraft could carry only air-to-air missiles and were limited to short-range AIM-9L missiles. However, in 1999, AIM-120 medium-range missiles were integrated into the JAS 39, giving the aircraft the ability to engage aerial targets beyond visual range.
Today, in addition to standard aerial bombs and unguided rocket pods, it can carry precision-guided weapons for striking land and sea targets. The aircraft can also deploy Swedish-made cluster bombs.
Depending on the type of submunitions, these can be used both against enemy personnel and armored vehicles. Each bomb is equipped with its own onboard computer, inertial navigation system, and control surfaces.
For destroying high-value targets deep in enemy territory, the JAS 39 can use KEPD 350 cruise missiles with a range of over 500 km.
Earlier, Sweden explained why supporting Ukraine aligns with its own security interests.
