Sweden's Gripen faces moment of truth in Ukraine's air war with Russia
Ukraine will get 36 Gripen fighters as the jet moves toward its first high-intensity combat test against Russia, officials said.
- On Thursday, June 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed a deal with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at Uppsala airbase to acquire 20 new Gripen E fighters and receive 16 older models donated by Sweden.
- Ukraine chose the Gripen because the fighter jet was specifically designed to confront Russia and operate from dispersed airstrips, such as highways and dirt runways, instead of relying on vulnerable fixed airbases.
- Operating at $8,000 per hour, the Gripen provides a cost-effective alternative to the F-35, and a six-person crew can rearm and refuel the aircraft in under 10 minutes, enabling higher sortie rates.
- Saab CEO Micael Johansson told Reuters investments in repairs and spare parts began 'quite a while ago,' while Defence Minister Pal Jonson confirmed Canada is considering the fighter as a competitive benchmark.
- Combat deployment will serve as a 'test against the systems that this aircraft is actually designed to face: Russia,' Lieutenant Colonel Johan Huovinen said, though analyst DRAWBACKSJustin Bronk noted the lack of stealth remains a limitation.
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The Saab Gripen should be the basis of its future Air Force of Ukraine.
Ukraine To Make Gripen Fighter Its Future Air Power Backbone
Ukraine To Make Gripen Fighter Its Future Air Power Backbone Ukraine is preparing to make the Swedish-built Gripen fighter jet a key pillar of its future air force, potentially bringing the aircraft into direct combat against Russian forces for the first time in its operational history. Under the reported agreement, Ukraine is set to acquire […] The post Ukraine To Make Gripen Fighter Its Future Air Power Backbone first appeared on The Zambian O…
Swedish Gripen fighters, which Ukraine plans to make the basis of its Air Force, will soon undergo their first combat test. This aircraft was created from the very beginning to counter the Russian threat, so the war in Ukraine will be a moment of truth for Swedish technology.
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