Swedish defense manufacturer Saab has secured a contract worth more than €2.1 billion to supply 16 Gripen E multirole fighter jets to Ukraine.
The agreement was signed with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), confirming the transfer of the aircraft from Sweden’s own inventory to the Ukrainian Air Force.
The deal represents a significant expansion of Western military aid to Kyiv, moving beyond ground-based air defense systems to advanced air superiority platforms.
The Gripen E is a fourth-generation+ fighter capable of carrying a wide range of precision-guided munitions, offering Ukraine enhanced capabilities for both air-to-air combat and deep-strike missions against Russian infrastructure.
This development comes amid intensifying aerial warfare on the Eastern Front.
Recent Handelsavisen coverage highlighted a massive Russian drone barrage involving 89 Shahed-type drones against Ukrainian targets in late June, underscoring the critical need for robust air defense and offensive air power.