Saab signs $2.54 billion contract to send Ukraine 16 Gripen E fighters
Sweden's letter of intent becomes a binding order for 16 Gripen E, but the first new jets reach Ukraine only in 2029, with donated older Gripens filling the gap.
Sweden's letter of intent becomes a binding order for 16 Gripen E, but the first new jets reach Ukraine only in 2029, with donated older Gripens filling the gap.
Saab signed a firm contract with Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration for 16 Gripen E fighters bound for Ukraine on June 30, The War Zone reported. The order is worth about SEK 24.6 billion, roughly $2.54 billion, and includes spare parts, equipment, and technical support.
The contract converts an October 2025 letter of intent into a binding first tranche, the Kyiv Independent wrote. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced it alongside Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson. Saab will book the order in the third quarter of 2026 and deliver to the Swedish agency in 2029 and 2030, which then transfers the jets to Ukraine.
The new aircraft arrive too late for the current fight. Sweden is separately donating up to 16 previous-generation Gripen C/D jets from its own fleet, due in early 2027, with pilot training already arranged, MigFlug noted.
The Gripen E carries up to seven MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles, paired with a Leonardo ES-05 Raven AESA radar and a Skyward-G infrared search-and-track sensor, per The War Zone. Sweden has ordered 60 of the type for its own air force and handed the first to an operational unit last year.
The 16 jets form the first slice of a much larger plan. The letter of intent covers a fleet that could reach 100 to 150 Gripen, and Ukraine has said it needs 140 to 180 modern fighters to cover its airspace, according to United24 Media. Britain and European credit mechanisms finance the purchase.
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Subscribe Free →For now the contract gives Kyiv a price, a booking quarter, and a Western fighter fleet on paper. The Gripens flying against Russia before 2029 will be the donated C/Ds, not the ones Saab just booked.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Gripen fighters did Ukraine order and for how much?
Saab signed a firm contract with Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration for 16 Gripen E fighters for Ukraine, worth about SEK 24.6 billion (roughly $2.54 billion), The War Zone and the Kyiv Independent reported.
When will the new Gripen E jets arrive?
Saab books the order in the third quarter of 2026, with deliveries to the Swedish agency scheduled for 2029 to 2030 before they transfer to Ukraine, according to The War Zone and MigFlug.
What fills the gap until 2029?
Sweden is separately donating up to 16 previous-generation Gripen C/D jets from its own fleet, due in early 2027, with pilot training already arranged, MigFlug reported.
What can the Gripen E carry?
The Gripen E can carry up to seven MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles, paired with a Leonardo ES-05 Raven AESA radar and a Skyward-G infrared search-and-track sensor, per The War Zone.
Is this the full scale of Ukraine's planned fighter fleet?
No. The 16 jets are a first tranche of an October 2025 letter of intent that sketches an eventual fleet of 100 to 150 Gripen; Ukraine says it needs 140 to 180 modern fighters to fully cover its airspace, United24 Media reported.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.