Stockholm and Kyiv Discuss Financing Options for Saab JAS 39 Gripen E Fighters

Sweden and Ukraine are exploring a potential deal for up to 150 Saab JAS 39 Gripen E fighters, with financing mechanisms under consideration including Ukrainian payments, Swedish military assistance, and multilateral support. The deal could be the largest aircraft order in Swedish history, with Saab evaluating options to expand production. Ukraine seeks a fighter with dispersed basing capability, ease of maintenance, and multirole design. The proposal has been presented to the Coalition of the Willing, a group of 16 European countries funding Ukraine’s defense, and Sweden is pushing within the European Union to unlock €200 billion in frozen Russian assets to help finance Ukraine’s war effort and post-war reconstruction. The first deliveries would not take place until around three years after a final contract is signed. The Swedish Air Force has already received its first Gripen E, featuring a new engine, radar, and electronic warfare suite. The article was first reported by AeroTime.