Sweden Conducted Its First Test Launch of Taurus Missile From Gripen C Fighter Jet

The Swedish Air Force, in collaboration with Saab, conducted the first tests of the Taurus missile from a Gripen C fighter jet.

A video of the tests was published by the Swedish Air Force’s press office.

The integration of this new weapon is taking place as Sweden builds its capability to conduct long-range air strikes.

Previously, the country lacked such capabilities due to its policy of neutrality, which it adhered to during the Cold War and in the early 2000s.

The current tests are intended to ensure the missile’s full integration by 2028 as part of the previously announced Gripen fighter jet modernization program.

🇸🇪 TAURUS LAUNCH
Today a TAURUS KEPD 350 cruise missile was launched from a Swedish JAS 39 Gripen for the first time. The test was conducted at the Vidsel Test Range in Norrbotten.
Today TAURUS is a long-range cruise missile that introduces a new deep-strike capability.
📷 FMV pic.twitter.com/vYcL75Lu4p

— Flygvapnet (@flygvapnet) August 21, 2026

Although the Swedish company Saab Bofors Dynamics is one of the founders of Taurus Systems GmbH, the Swedish government did not integrate the missile into the Gripen’s arsenal during the early stages of its development.

At the same time, in the early 2000s, one of the Gripen fighters was involved in the Taurus development program.

As of December 2025, Saab, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence of Sweden and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), has accelerated the integration of the Taurus missile into the Gripen fighter jets.

Major General Jonas Wikman, Commander of the Swedish Air Force, stated that work is progressing significantly faster than originally scheduled, and that operational readiness is expected to be achieved before 2028. He did not disclose exact dates due to the sensitivity of the program.

Earlier, in February 2025, Militarnyi reported that Sweden plans to procure and integrate Taurus KEPD-350 cruise missiles onto Gripen C fighter jets. The first aircraft were expected to become capable of firing the missiles in 2028, while full integration of the Taurus onto the Gripen E in the Block 4 (MS23) configuration is scheduled for 2033.

Saab was tasked with upgrading the Gripen C and Gripen E to accommodate the new weaponry.
In the first phase, a small number of Gripen C aircraft were planned to be adapted for operational use of the Taurus.

Taurus KEPD-350

The Taurus KEPD 350 is a German-Swedish long-range air-to-surface cruise missile. It was developed by Taurus Systems GmbH, a joint venture between the German company MBDA Deutschland and the Swedish company Saab Bofors Dynamics AB. The abbreviation KEPD stands for Kinetic Energy Penetrator and Destroyer.

The officially stated range of the production missile is 500 km, and its cruise speed is 0.6–0.9 Mach. The Taurus uses a combined navigation system that integrates an inertial navigation system, satellite navigation, and terrain correlation.

In Europe, the Taurus is carried by the Tornado, Eurofighter, and F/A-18 Hornet aircraft.

Several variants of the missile have been developed based on the KEPD 350, including the lightweight KEPD 350L and the modular MP with a variable payload. There are also variants designed to engage dispersed targets and disable electronic systems.

A separate variant, the Taurus T, has been adapted for launch from C-130 and A400M transport aircraft. In 2024, the company unveiled the Taurus Neo, featuring upgraded guidance systems and an extended range.