Sweden, Ukraine Finalize $2.53B Deal for 16 Gripen E Fighters

Sweden, Ukraine finalize $2.53B deal for 16 Gripen E fighters seals a major procurement step for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Sweden and Ukraine completed a 24.6-billion-krona (about $2.53 billion) intergovernmental agreement to buy 16 Saab JAS 39 Gripen E jets, alongside support services and training. Deliveries are planned for 2029 and 2030, while Ukraine is expected to place the order in the third quarter of 2026. Afterward, Sweden will proceed with donating 16 Gripen C/D fighters to Kyiv, with deliveries beginning in early 2027. Funding for the Gripen E is expected via the EU’s Ukraine Support Loan, with Sweden’s donation conditional on Ukraine purchasing the E model. The package may include air-to-air munitions such as IRIS-T, AIM-120 AMRAAM, and MBDA Meteor. The announcement also highlights UK and US industrial participation in manufacturing parts.