"In addition, Ukraine will receive the first 16 Gripen C/D fighter jets in early 2027 as military assistance from Sweden," the statement added, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky's office.
Saab, FMV, and the SEK 24.6 billion contract
Saab has signed a contract to deliver 16 Gripen E fighter jets to Ukraine under an agreement valued at SEK 24.6 billion (about $2.5 billion). The company said it was contracted by the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) for this order. The deal, announced during a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swedish Minister of Defense Pål Jonson, formalizes an arrangement first agreed between Stockholm and Kyiv in May.
Delivery schedule, spare parts, and pilot training
The contract sets a phased timeline: deliveries of the Gripen E aircraft will begin in early 2029 and will include spare parts and technical assistance, Saab and Zelensky’s office reported. Separately, Ukrainian pilots are already undergoing training in Sweden, Zelensky’s office said. In addition to the purchased Gripen E aircraft, Sweden will provide the first 16 Gripen C/D fighters to Ukraine as military assistance, with those initial jets expected in early 2027.
European financing and UK support for production
Financing for the SEK 24.6 billion contract will come through a European Union loan, provided with the support of the United Kingdom. The UK government highlighted its central role in the Gripen industrial development in a recent press release, stating that British companies supply critical components including the radar and landing gear and that over 30% of each aircraft is manufactured in the UK. The UK also said it has committed to manufacturing key components locally for this deal, supporting more than 5,000 jobs.
Long-term procurement ambitions: up to 150 Gripens
Swedish Minister Pål Jonson described the Saab agreement as a first step in Kyiv’s longer-term plan. In a social media post, Jonson noted that the deal is the initial phase toward Ukraine’s planned aspirations to purchase up to 150 advanced combat jets over time. The recent contract covers the immediate 16 Gripen E aircraft to be financed through the EU loan and the 16 Gripen C/D aircraft to arrive as Swedish military assistance in 2027.
What this means for Ukrainian pilots, Sweden, and the UK
- Ukrainian pilots: They are already in Sweden for training, reflecting an early, practical element of the deal that precedes aircraft deliveries. Training now will shape operational readiness for the C/D aircraft expected in early 2027 and create a foundation for integration of the E-models beginning in 2029.
- Sweden (FMV and defense ministry): FMV is the contracting authority, and Sweden is both selling and providing military assistance—supplying 16 Gripen C/Ds and arranging a financed purchase of 16 Gripen E aircraft. Stockholm's role includes arranging the EU loan that will fund the purchase and coordinating technical assistance and spare parts commitments.
- The United Kingdom: The UK is a financier and industrial partner—supporting the EU loan and committing to produce key components domestically. The UK press release framed its involvement as central to the Gripen’s industrial base, pointing to components such as radar and landing gear, a manufacturing share of over 30% per aircraft, and support for more than 5,000 jobs.
The contract signed in Kyiv ties procurement, finance and industrial capacity together in three capitals: Kyiv as the buyer and beneficiary of assistance, Stockholm as seller and guarantor of a parallel assistance package, and London as both financier and industrial partner. The immediate next milestones named in the agreement are the arrival of 16 Gripen C/D aircraft as Swedish military assistance in early 2027 and the start of Gripen E deliveries in early 2029, backed by an EU loan with UK support. Minister Jonson’s public remark that this is a first step toward acquiring as many as 150 fighters maps an ambition that will hinge on how the financed delivery, industrial production and pilot training unfold.
Link to the original story: https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/ukraine-signs-2-5-billion-contract-with-sweden-for-gripen-e-deliveries-by-2029/
