MSPO 2025 — Following interest from Kyiv, Sweden is open to selling advanced Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine once the war with Russia ends, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson told Breaking Defense.
“We have a dialogue also with Ukraine, and since they certainly expressed an interest for the Gripen system … predominantly Gripen Echo, the new version that Sweden, Brazil are operating as well,” then a future sale is a possibility, Jonson said. “That case … would be more of a long-term endeavor or building a common air force capability as well” in the same way other export customers have benefitted from acquiring the Saab aircraft.
Jonson made it clear that the potential acquisition “depends” on the Ukraine war ending and stressed any deal “must be a long-term development.”
Western nations have vowed to support the rebuilding of the Ukraine Air Force once the conflict with Russia concludes, though its unclear what mixture of aircraft could be at play.
“Sweden has great experience in having a very close collaboration with building other countries air forces,” added Jonson. “We’ve done that in very close collaboration with our Czech friends and our Hungarian friends and our Thai friends and our Brazilian friends.”
Ukraine has long sought deliveries of older Gripen C/D combat aircraft to push back against Moscow, but such lobbying has so far proved unsuccessful. That’s in part because NATO allies asked Sweden to hold back on sending them, so Kyiv could first focus on flying F-16 jets and in a bid to not overload pilots with a variety of different aircraft types.
A handful of French Mirage jets have since been transferred, however, while in anticipation of a military aid package gaining approval, Sweden moved to approve donation of Gripen spare parts valued at 2.3 billion SEK ($214 million) in September 2024.
“We stand open to discuss” gifting Gripen C/D aircraft, Jonson said, “and I talked, of course, with my Ukrainian counterpart when I was in Kiev last week.”
Saab CEO Micael Johansson told Breaking Defense in February that Gripen E aircraft should be sent to Kyiv “over time,” before adding that “it’s purely a political decision” to first begin with deliveries of C/D models.
On Tuesday, Saab head of media relations Mattias Rådström said, “Saab would of course fully support Sweden in such an endeavour with Ukraine and in the suitability of Gripen E for Ukrainian needs. We believe there is no better fighter for the role.”
Stockholm Draws Closer To Warsaw
Separately Tuesday, Jonson signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Polish Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at MSPO covering bilateral military technical co-operation.
“Under the terms of the LoI, the two countries intend to cooperate more closely on defence materiel, development, innovation and the defence industry,” said the Swedish government in a statement.
Jonson told Breaking Defense that the new pact fits in with a wider “umbrella agreement” between Stockholm and Warsaw, which they are “laser focused” on implementing. He noted a first NATO-enhanced air policing deployment by Swedish Air Force Gripens to Poland as a significant example of how the renewed ties are breeding success.
On big ticket procurements like Poland’s Orka submarine effort, Jonson said Sweden has made a “competitive and attractive” offer of the Saab Kockums A26 design, but it is up to “our Polish friends to decide and communicate” next steps.
Elsewhere, Saab and Poland’s largest defense contractor PGZ Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at MSPO, built around “exploring potential cooperation on projects related to the development of defence solutions for multi-domain operations,” according to a Saab statement.
In addition, the manufacturer also launched “strategic co-operation” with local firm WB Group, to “explore potential cooperation in areas including UAV systems, naval solutions and border protection systems,” per a company release.