Zelenskyy: Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets nearing appearance in Ukrainian skies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that the Ukrainian military has started participating in test flights on the Swedish Gripen combat aircraft and that Kyiv is in negotiations for these aircraft to “appear in [Ukrainian] skies”.

Zelenskyy said: “We are trying very, very hard to increase the capabilities of military aviation. This is one of the hardest tasks, but I am sure: we will accomplish it.”

He added: “Now, we have a breakthrough result regarding Gripen fighters – cool, modern Swedish combat aircraft. Our soldiers are already starting to test them. And we are step by step, negotiation by negotiation, we are getting closer to the fact that Gripen fighters will appear in our sky.”

Zelenskyy discussed the topic with the Prime Minister of Sweden and representatives of the Swedish parliamentary parties.

Manufacturer Saab said “Gripen fighters are designed with smart and easily adaptable technical solutions to be able to dominate the battlespace for decades to come.”

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen boasts a unique combination of agility, advanced avionics, and cost-effectiveness. Saab said it has “cutting-edge technologies, the latest systems, sensors, weapons and pods to ensure combat advantage, delivering air superiority in highly contested environments. Silent networking and total sensor fusion across a tactical air unit to blind and confuse the enemy.”

Gripen jets have “the powerful GE F414G engine, great range and the ability to carry an impressive payload with its ten hard-points. It also has a new AESA-radar, InfraRed Search and Track System (IRST), highly advanced electronic warfare and communication systems.”

Zelenskyy also said that Sweden will provide Ukraine with the CV90 armored vehicles which would also be produced in Ukraine.

BAE Systems the manufacturer of CV90 said it’s a “vehicle that provides high tactical and strategic mobility, air defense, anti-tank capability, high survivability and protection in any terrain or tactical environment.”

The vehicle has a full range of armament options, high payload capacity enabling a wide range of kit to be carried, and advanced, scalable electronic architecture, as the system meets EMC standards and allows straightforward integration of third-party and legacy systems, according to BAE.

Sweden will also provide Archer systems to Ukraine.

Archer artillery systems are also developed by BAE, and have long range and high accuracy, as well as high mobility enabling fast deployment speeds to be effective on battlefields. Archer “benefits from the concurrent development and fielding of the Excalibur 155mm Precision Guided Extended Range Artillery Projectile, helping extend its range to 50km.” It also has the “ability to be ready to fire in 20 seconds and be moving again within 20 seconds of firing its last round also puts the system in a class by itself.”

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