Sweden Built Five Generations of Saab Fighters for a War That Never Came. Ukraine Just Bought the Newest for the War That Did

Sweden’s Saab is building on decades of Cold War fighter design concepts as Ukraine acquires the newest Gripen variant. On June 30, Saab signed a contract to supply Ukraine with 16 new-build JAS 39 Gripen E fighters, valued at about $2.5 billion under an October framework that could reach 150 aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled for 2029 and 2030, funded through the European Union’s Ukraine loan facility, while 16 donated Gripen C/Ds from Swedish stocks are set to arrive from early 2027. The deal is framed as the latest step in Saab’s fighter lineage—from the Saab 29 Tunnan through the Saab 32 Lansen, Saab 35 Draken and Saab 37 Viggen—built around dispersed highway basing and fast turnaround. The signing occurred with Ukraine’s president and Sweden’s defense minister, and Saab CEO Micael Johansson called the Gripen a fighter that will transform Ukraine’s air capabilities. The delivery plan begins training in Sweden.