The Swedish Gripen Fighter Would Have Been a Better Choice for Ukraine Than the F-16
And Sweden is planning on sending Ukraine some soon.
Ukraine’s quest for modern jets has so far landed it the iconic US-made F-16s, (and a possible promise of French Mirages), with the goal of keeping Russian threats at bay.
When Western Europe set out to reinforce Ukraine’s air defenses, the F-16 was an obvious choice.
As more European nations phased out the Fighting Falcon in favor of the newer F-35, a nice stockpile of retired F-16s became available. Belgium, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, and Norway all had jets to spare, and Ukraine was happy to take them off their hands.
But not everyone thought the F-16 was Ukraine’s best option.
Rumblings from Saab (the Gripen’s maker) and others argued that the Gripen C/D might be an even better fit for Ukraine’s unique challenges.
And by September 2024, Sweden wasn’t just toying with the idea. In its 17th military aid package to Ukraine, Stockholm outlined a Gripen support plan — just in case Ukraine’s F-16s need some Scandinavian reinforcements down the line.
Tailor-made for close combat with Russian forces, the Gripen is a jet that many experts argue should be…
