According to an anonymous source cited by Swedish public radio (SR) on Tuesday, the Swedish government is contemplating the possibility of donating JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine as a means of aiding their conflict with Russia.
The JAS 39 Gripen is a multi-role fighter jet developed by Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab. Adaptable to various missions and environments, it can perform air-to-air, air-to-ground, and reconnaissance tasks, and can operate from short runways and road bases.
The Swedish government is currently assessing the potential impact of such a decision on Sweden’s defence capabilities, as well as the feasibility of obtaining new Gripen fighters if necessary. SR reports that the government may request an official evaluation of the matter from the armed forces as soon as Thursday.
The Swedish Ministry of Defence has so far made no comment on the matter.
The Netherlands and Denmark have been advocating for Ukraine to receive US-made F-16 fighter jets to aid in their fight against Russia’s air dominance.
Recently, a report from SR revealed that Ukraine has requested a division of 16-18 Gripen jets from Saab. Sweden has offered to allow Ukrainian pilots to test the Gripen, but due to the need to safeguard their own airspace, the government has stated that they require all of their own fighter aircraft.
