Sweden Ready to Donate Czech Republic JAS 39 Gripen Fighter Jets to Ukraine

Jas-39 Gripen Jets

Stockholm - Czech Republic has big ambitions in updating its air force. The country is known to intend to replace the JAS 39 Gripen with the F-35 fifth-generation fighter.

In this case, Stockholm [Sweden] may agree to Prague [Czech Republic] providing 14 JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets to Kyiv [Ukraine] for free [12 units of one-seat JAS 39C and two units of two-seat JAS 39D].

Quoted from Bulgarian Military, Ukrainian media [Defense Express] claims that if the acquisition becomes a fact, then Stockholm is ready to allow Prague to donate 14 Gripen aircraft to Ukraine. According to Ukrainian media, this can only become a fact in 2027. This is because the lease period for the Czech Gripen fighter aircraft to SAAB ended.

Of course, Sweden has offered the Czechs to upgrade the Czech Air Force's JAS 39C Gripen fighter to the “E/F” version. In recent years [before the war] Ukraine even retired some of its “air wings” including the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-27, Sukhoi Su-17, and Sukhoi Su-15.

The acquisition of 14 JAS 39C Gripen fighter jets will not seriously strengthen the Ukrainian Air Force. However, this would be the foundation laid for the renewal of Ukraine's arsenal [if the war ended by then.

Although, the fighter in question is actually Czech [in service with the Czech Air Force] and if the donation is realized, Sweden will actually do it.

This is because SAAB holds a production and trade license and without Stockholm's approval the fighter cannot be used by anyone other than the Czech Air Force.

Quoted from airrecognition.com, the JAS 39 Gripen is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft. The jet is manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab and is designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force.

The Gripen is a new generation of multi-role fighter aircraft using the most advanced technology. It is capable of performing various Air-to-Air, Air-to-Surface and reconnaissance missions using the most modern weapons.

Gripen is designed to meet the demands of current and future threats, while at the same time meeting stringent requirements for flight safety, reliability, training efficiency and low operating costs.

The Gripen fighter is in service with a number of air forces: the Swedish, Czech Republic and Hungarian Air Forces and has also been ordered by the South African Air Force and the Royal Thai Air Force.

Gripen is compatible with NATO and can be operated globally which meets operational requirements. In fact, the Gripen has now accumulated over 100,000 flight hours.

A two-seat version of the Gripen, which retains the full operational capabilities of a single seat, is also available for tactical weapons training, more specialized missions and type conversion.