Saab has received a contract from Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to supply 16 new-production Gripen E fighters that will later be transferred to Ukraine, marking the first order for newly built aircraft intended for the Ukrainian Air Force.
The contract is valued at approximately SEK 24.6 billion (about $2.6 billion) and also includes spare parts, support equipment and other associated items. Deliveries to FMV are scheduled for 2029 and 2030.
Related news
June 24, 2026
Until now, Western military aid for Ukraine's fighter fleet has centered on donated second-hand aircraft, primarily F-16s supplied by several European nations. Sweden's decision introduces a different approach by funding newly manufactured fighters specifically for Kyiv.
The Gripen E is the latest version of Saab's multirole fighter, featuring a more powerful General Electric F414 engine, an AESA radar, an infrared search-and-track (IRST) sensor and expanded electronic warfare capabilities compared with earlier Gripen variants.
Saab has long promoted the Gripen as a fighter designed for dispersed operations. The aircraft can operate from short runways and sections of highways, requires relatively small ground crews and can be turned around quickly between missions, characteristics that could prove valuable for an air force operating under the constant threat of missile and drone attacks.
The Ukrainian order is also the first confirmed production contract for the Gripen E since Brazil received its initial aircraft. Besides Sweden, the fighter has been selected by Brazil, Thailand, Colombia and Ukraine, although deliveries for the newest customers have yet to begin.
The agreement provides another boost to Saab's production backlog as the company continues expanding manufacturing of the Gripen E for both domestic and export customers over the remainder of the decade.
