Sweden is officially transferring 16 Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine and will sell 22 additional aircraft, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced during a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, May 28.
Zelensky and Kristersson signed a declaration on deepening defense cooperation at Uppsala Air Base. The sides had previously signed a preliminary letter of intent during Zelensky’s earlier visit to Sweden.
Sweden will transfer 16 Gripen C/D fighter jets to Ukraine free of charge.
Designed for operations against the Soviet and later Russian Federation by Sweden’s air forces, the Saab JAS 39 Gripen is designed to operate from short runways, be serviced by a small ground crew and fly missions at costs lower than comparable NATO aircraft.
Ukraine will also purchase 22 new Gripen E fighter jets – the most modern version of the aircraft – with deliveries expected by 2030.
“We are transferring Gripens. Ukraine will purchase 22 new Gripen models,” Kristersson said.
Negotiations on the new aircraft are ongoing and are expected to be completed by 2030.
According to Kristersson, deliveries of the Gripens will begin in 2027. Zelensky, meanwhile, said Ukraine hopes to receive the first aircraft within the next 10 months.
“We expect to receive the first Gripens within the next 10 months. We will do everything we can on our part,” Zelensky said.
Kristersson noted that Soviet-era aircraft, such as the Su-27 and MiG-29 currently fielded by Ukraine, can still assist with reconnaissance and radar operations, but he said Gripens are the best long-term option for protecting Ukrainian skies.
He described the Gripen as the next step in strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
“Air defense is what Ukraine needs most now. We feel it almost every day,” the Swedish prime minister added.
Zelensky, in turn, said Ukraine is ready to purchase all 150 aircraft in the future.
“We are counting on these €90 billion [loan from Europe]. We will do this step by step. We need these aircraft, and this is a new page for Ukraine,” he said, referring to the vital loan package from the EU approved in April after months of deadlock.
Ukraine will receive the Swedish aircraft together with weapons packages, including missiles with a range exceeding 200 kilometers (124 miles).
“We believe we can push Russian aircraft farther away so they cannot use guided aerial bombs against us,” Zelensky added.
According to open sources, the flyaway cost of a single JAS 39E is around $85 million, and the total cost per aircraft, including service and accessories, is probably around $135 million.
Deliveries of the first Swedish-produced JAS 39E to the Swedish Air Force began in October 2025, with 60 aircraft planned for delivery. Colombia and Thailand have inked orders for 17 and 4 aircraft, respectively.
Brazil kicked off local manufacturing of the single-seat JAS 39E Gripen and the twin-seat JAS 39F Gripen in March. Eleven aircraft are to be built in Brazil, with the remainder of a total 36 aircraft order planned to be delivered from Sweden. The Brazilian Air Force has received a reported 11 aircraft to date.
Saab’s planned annual output of JAS 39E is said to rise to 20-36 aircraft.
Speculations on Gripen deal
Earlier, Swedish and Ukrainian news platforms speculated that Sweden would donate a number of Saab JAS 39 C/D Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine’s air force, citing Ukrainian government and Swedish corporate officials.
At 12:28 p.m., Zelensky, in a subsequent Thursday statement on Telegram, made the first official confirmation that a transfer deal would be signed.
“Today on a working visit to Sweden. We are preparing a great defense package for Ukraine and a strong plan for the Gripen fighter,” Zelensky wrote.
Meetings were planned with Kristersson, and representatives of the Swedish defense industry would also be present, he added.
“Thank you, Ulf, that our relations – between Ukraine and Sweden – are always significant, and always strong,” Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media response to the news was overwhelmingly positive. The war aviation information platform ShrikeNews said:
“This is a good aircraft model, because they (Sweden) will keep manufacturing them for a long time, and we need fighters now and immediately.”
Ukrainian and Swedish media first reported serious talks between Kyiv and Stockholm on a Gripen deal in October 2025. A pair of Ukrainian fighter pilots test flew the aircraft between August and September in 2023, completed familiarization training, and gave glowing reviews to the aircraft, but there was no funding at the time.
The EU finalized the €90 billion ($103 billion) loan to Ukraine on April 23, 2026. Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson and Saab said that the EU loan unblocks “practical financing” for Ukraine, but neither official Kyiv nor Stockholm said a major Gripen sale was contingent on the availability of EU financing.
Ukraine’s push to modernize air fleet
Ukraine currently operates a few dozen F-16AM+ fighters donated by Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden, and fewer than 10 Mirage 2000-5F fighters donated by France.
Both those 1990s-era aircraft are somewhat older and less suited for operations in Ukraine than the Gripen, Ukrainian Air Force spokespersons say.
Gripen, F-16 and Mirage 2000-5F are usually considered suitable for use by Ukraine in combat against Russia, but technically inferior to the very best Russian fighters, among them the handful of supposed fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO: Felon) and the air superiority-focused Sukhoi Su-35S (NATO: Flanker-E), and the air-to-ground, strike-focused Su-34 (NATO: Fullback) fighter-bomber.
Swedish outlet Aftonbladet reports that Ukraine and Sweden would negotiate the sale of the latest Gripen model, the JAS 39E, with the purchase to be financed by an EU loan.
Compared to Russia’s late-model Su-35S fighter, the JAS 39E – without thrust vectoring – is slightly less powerful and maneuverable than the Flanker-E; it would be reasonably matched in a one-on-one turning fight if the contest were gun only.
While some analysts say aircraft such as the Su-35 retain advantages in close-range dogfights due to high maneuverability and off-boresight missile capabilities, modern air combat is increasingly shaped by beyond-visual-range (BVR) engagements.
Analysts argue that in real combat scenarios, pilots are unlikely to forgo BVR advantages provided by advanced avionics, radar systems, and sustained performance – areas where the Gripen is often cited as competitive.
The Swedish fighter is equipped with better radars, sensors and air-to-air missiles and is capable of higher sortie rates because it is designed for easy maintenance.
Currently Russia’s air force outnumbers Ukraine’s by about eight to one overall, and about four to five to one, when counting aircraft actually participating in combat operations over Ukraine and Russia.