Sweden will donate up to 16 Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighters to Ukraine and has opened negotiations for an initial Ukrainian purchase of up to 20 Gripen E/F aircraft, following a joint announcement in Uppsala on 28 May 2026.
The decision links an immediate capability transfer with a longer-term fleet modernization path. Saab said it will support the process, while also noting that no contract or order has yet been signed for the Gripen E/F deal. The Swedish government has allocated replacement funding for the donated aircraft and said talks on the replacement package will begin soon.
Ukraine intends to finance the future E/F acquisition in batches, using European loan funding. Delivery timing for the donated C/D aircraft and the new-build E/F fleet remains subject to negotiations, export approvals, and industrial planning, but the announcement marks a significant step in Sweden’s evolving military support for Kyiv and in Saab’s export campaign for the latest Gripen variant.