EU Allocates Funds for Purchase of 16 Gripen Fighter Jets for Ukraine

The European Commission is allocating €3.47 billion to Ukraine for drones, missiles, air defense systems, and fighter jets.

This was reported on the Commission’s website.

The funding was provided as part of a €90 billion defense loan to support Ukraine.

According to the European Pravda, €2.5 billion from this tranche will be used to purchase 16 Gripen E aircraft manufactured in Sweden for Ukraine.

In 2026, Sweden will transfer earlier-model Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine free of charge, and the Ukrainian side expects to receive the first new aircraft as early as 2027.

The Gripen is a fourth-generation, lightweight, single-engine, supersonic, multi-role fighter jet equipped with a modern electronic warfare system, an engine capable of speeds up to 2,100–2,500 km/h, and advanced antennas for detecting targets at long ranges.

The aircraft has 10 hardpoints and can carry a wide range of weapons, including Meteor and IRIS-T missiles, as well as various air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and bombs. The combat load is up to 7.2 metric tons, and the maximum takeoff weight is 16.5 metric tons.