Sweden’s Gripen jets for Ukraine still on table – Air Force spox
There is a possibility that Sweden will transfer Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, which Ukrainian pilots have already tested. That’s in addition to the F-16s Ukraine is expected to receive from foreign parnters.
This was stated by Yuriy Ihnat, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, who spoke on the air of the national telethon, Ukrinform reports.
"The main combat aircraft will be the F-16s... The Gripen is also being considered as the Swedish side can transfer to Ukraine the number it has today. We are not talking about the numbers today though. Anyway, the main combat aircraft (Ukraine is posed to receive – ed.) still remains the F-16. If the decision on Gripens is taken, this will be a nice option for us," he said.
According to him, Gripen could complement our Air Force.
Ihnat emphasized that Sweden is looking into developing a newer version of Gripen fighters for its own air force. Therefore, the spokesman noted, Ukraine may as well receive from Sweden the older variant.
The spokesman reported that Ukrainian pilots have already tested Gripen fighter jets in Sweden.
"During the first visit to the Kingdom of Sweden, the Air Force commander deployed a number of specialists there, as the meeting was taking place, so that they would investigate the possibility of supplies of these aircraft and go on some familiarization flights in order to understand how they operate and provide a full report on whether we can or can’t get this equipment," said Ihnat.
At the same time, he noted that it was not pilot training, but only test flights. The training phase, he said, will begin only after Sweden announces a decision to hand the jets to Ukraine. Consultations are currently ongoing, Ihnat added.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, referring to the Ministry of Defense, Ukraine and Sweden are discussing joint work in the field of innovation, as well as the possible transfer of Gripen aircraft to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Swedish Armed Forces noted that the issue of the transfer of Gripen warplanes to Ukraine is being discussed both at the political and military operational levels.
Photo: mil.in.ua