According to unnamed sources cited by Swedish Public Radio (SR), the Swedish government is contemplating the donation of Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine to aid in its conflict with Russia. The government is reportedly assessing the impact of such a move on Sweden’s own defense capabilities and the timeline for acquiring new Gripen fighters.
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The armed forces may be officially asked to consider this matter as early as Thursday. The push to equip Ukraine with U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to counter Russia’s air dominance in the war has been led by the Netherlands and Denmark. As per the SR report, Ukraine is hoping to receive a division of Gripen jets, which equates to 16-18 planes, manufactured by Sweden’s Saab.
Earlier this year, Sweden offered Ukrainian pilots the chance to test the Gripen, but it also stated that all its planes are needed for defending Swedish territory. The opposition leader suggested last month that Sweden should be ready to send Gripens to Ukraine once it becomes a member of the U.S.-led NATO defense alliance, a process that is currently awaiting ratification from Turkey and Hungary.