Ukraine and Sweden announced on May 28 new steps toward the future introduction of Saab Gripen fighters into Ukrainian service, including plans for Kyiv to acquire Gripen E/F aircraft and for Sweden to donate part of its existing fleet.
During a joint press conference in Uppsala, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine intends to acquire an initial batch of up to 20 Gripen E/F fighters.
At the same time, Sweden stated that it plans to donate up to 16 Gripen C/D aircraft to Ukraine and allocate funding to replace the transferred jets.
Neither Saab nor the Swedish government disclosed delivery schedules, financing details or the timeline for negotiations.
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Saab confirmed that no contract has yet been signed and that the discussions remain at the government-to-government negotiation stage.
“The announcements were made today, but no contract has been signed nor has Saab received an order relating to this,” the company said in a statement.
The announcement follows months of discussions between Stockholm and Kyiv regarding potential Gripen transfers. In October 2025, Sweden and Ukraine signed a letter of intent covering cooperation on air defense and future fighter capabilities.
If finalized, Ukraine would become the first combat operator of the Gripen outside Saab’s traditional export customers during an active wartime environment.
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The Gripen E/F is Saab’s latest fighter variant, equipped with a new radar, electronic warfare systems and General Electric F414 engines. The older Gripen C/D models planned for donation remain in operational service with the Swedish Air Force and several export operators.
The aircraft has long been promoted as suitable for dispersed operations due to its ability to operate from short runways and highway strips with relatively small maintenance teams.
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Ukraine currently operates a mixed combat fleet centered on Soviet-designed fighters, while gradually introducing Western aircraft including the F-16. France has also committed Mirage 2000-5 fighters to Kyiv.
For Saab, the Ukrainian announcement could represent the most significant development for the Gripen program in years after several stalled export campaigns and prolonged negotiations in countries including Canada, Thailand and Colombia.
