Illustrative image. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jael Laborn)
Sweden on May 28 announced a new military aid package including latest model Gripen E fighter jets worth about $2.7 billion for Ukraine, including plans to donate 16 used Gripen C/D fighter jets.
The JAS 39 Gripen, made in Sweden by Saab, is a multirole fighter jet designed for both air defense and combat operations.
Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Uppsala, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that Ukraine and Sweden had signed a declaration to expand defense cooperation.
“Today, we take the next step,” Kristersson said. “Ukrainian forces continue to demonstrate exceptional resilience, skills and determination in defending your country and our values.”
Zelenskyy, from his side, said that it was a “historic day” for relations between the two countries and that the package would significantly strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses. He noted that more than $2 billion of the package is allocated for aircraft and related weapons systems, while about $400 million will support drone production.
Ukraine expects to receive its first newly-built Gripen E fighter jets from Sweden within the next ten months, according to Zelenskyy.
Kristersson said that deliveries of the used Gripen C/D aircraft could begin early next year, depending on export license approvals and the completion of an agreement related to newer Gripen E fighter jets.
In a statement, Saab said that Ukraine intends to acquire an initial batch of up to 20 newer Gripen E models in addition to the 16 donated figure jets, although the company noted that no contracts had been signed and no orders had been received.
Zelenskyy said that the fighter jets are expected to carry missiles capable of pushing Russian warplanes farther from positions used to launch guided glide bombs against Ukraine.
He was likely referring to the European Meteor active radar guided beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, which can engage targets up to 200 kilometers away. The missile is one of the main weapon systems of the Gripen, which is equipped with an advanced Leonardo Raven ES-05 active electronically scanned array radar with range up to 300 kilometers.
While the Gripen is a capable fighter jet, it will not likely have any real impact, aside from making up for some of the losses of the Ukrainian Air Force.
In recent years, Ukraine received dozens of American-made F-16A/AM and French-made Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets. Many of these warplanes have already been shot down, or simply destroyed on the ground. The air force now mostly uses the remaining ones to counter Russian drones far away from the front.
The Gripen will not perform any better in Ukraine. Not even against Russian warplanes launching airstrikes across the front or the border as Zelenskyy claimed. Ukrainian aerial operations there are already very much restricted due to the threat posed by Russian air defenses.
Attempting to enter an aerial combat with the Russian Aerospace Forces would be suicidal, especially taking into account that fighter jets like the Su-35S and Su-57 are simply far more capable in terms of detection and even engagement, with the R-37M active radar guided missile reported to be capable of hitting aerial targets as far as 400 kilometers.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
