Yuriy Ihnat, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said Thursday that the Gripen fighters from Sweden will not arrive in Ukraine anytime soon.
Ihnat’s comments came after Kyiv and Stockholm signed a letter of intent a day prior to export 100-150 Series E Gripen multirole fighters – the latest model – over the next 10 to 15 years.
Speaking on national television, Ihnat said the procurement process is “extremely difficult” due to both technical and political hurdles.
“We won’t talk so hastily about the word ‘soon,’ because the aviation component is a high-tech weapon, and no country in the world can produce it quickly. Airplanes are something that is not easy to buy, and in fact, impossible to buy,” Ihnat said, as reported by state media Ukrinform.
“These are intergovernmental agreements, they are not sold just like that, which is why it is extremely difficult,” he added.
When signing the letter of intent on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky also said financing is an important issue.
But based on Ihnat’s comments, it is likely that Gripens will form the backbone of post-war Ukraine’s modernized air fleet.
“Gripen as an aircraft will be available for mastering. Moreover, it is a simpler machine to operate. The prospect of receiving Gripen is a good sign for the country, in order to strengthen our aviation component,” he added.
At present, Ukraine’s Air Force operates multiple foreign aircraft: the US-made F-16 multirole fighters it received from different allies, the French Mirage 2000 fighters donated by France, and two Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft from Sweden.
The Series E Gripen Ukraine is set to purchase in the future is the latest iteration of the Swedish jet, which just officially entered Swedish service this week, as per defense outlet The War Zone.
“Made for forward-thinking air forces, Gripen E incorporates cutting-edge technologies, the latest systems, sensors, weapons, and pods to ensure combat advantage, delivering air superiority in highly contested environments,” the jet’s manufacturer Saab, described it as such in its brochure.
