Interesting news that Sweden is going to start training some Ukrainians on the Gripen, but is also not planning on providing any aircraft
https://news.yahoo.com/sweden-train-ukra...46420.html.
Reading between the lines on this, I think that Sweden would love for Ukraine to buy a ton of Gripens moving forward but not to donate those in active use, of which there are too few. This would likely be years down the road, as Ukraine tries to reconstitute and modernize their air force, rather then anything that would impact the current conflict. The Gripen hasn't sold well, on account of it being similar in cost to an F35 but still 4.5 Gen.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/08/25/swe...hter-jets/
This could make sense for Ukraine as well, as they may be the fastest way to get the most modern/capable jets this way. Their current options are to continue to ask for hand-me downs that will necessarily be lower in capability and flight hours then new production jets, or to hop in the back of the queue for new F16s (or try to get in on the F35 program), which already have the next several years of production spoken for. I also wonder if the "we are not providing aircraft right now" will be a negotiating point, as in "ok fine we'll give you planes now if you commit to buy several squadrons later."
A wing of Gripens with modern AESA radars and avionics, armed with meteors, AMRAAMs, and RBS 15s, linked to land based Patriot, NASAMS, and IRIS T radars would be a powerful defensive force. The lack of stealth would still limit them offensively, however.
https://news.yahoo.com/sweden-train-ukra...46420.html.
Reading between the lines on this, I think that Sweden would love for Ukraine to buy a ton of Gripens moving forward but not to donate those in active use, of which there are too few. This would likely be years down the road, as Ukraine tries to reconstitute and modernize their air force, rather then anything that would impact the current conflict. The Gripen hasn't sold well, on account of it being similar in cost to an F35 but still 4.5 Gen.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/08/25/swe...hter-jets/
This could make sense for Ukraine as well, as they may be the fastest way to get the most modern/capable jets this way. Their current options are to continue to ask for hand-me downs that will necessarily be lower in capability and flight hours then new production jets, or to hop in the back of the queue for new F16s (or try to get in on the F35 program), which already have the next several years of production spoken for. I also wonder if the "we are not providing aircraft right now" will be a negotiating point, as in "ok fine we'll give you planes now if you commit to buy several squadrons later."
A wing of Gripens with modern AESA radars and avionics, armed with meteors, AMRAAMs, and RBS 15s, linked to land based Patriot, NASAMS, and IRIS T radars would be a powerful defensive force. The lack of stealth would still limit them offensively, however.