Sweden plans to first transfer reconnaissance aircraft to Ukraine, and later consider the transfer of Gripen – Jonson

Vlad Cherevko I have been interested in various types of electronics and technologies since the early 2000s. I like to play computer games and understand the operation of various gadgets. I regularly follow the news of the technology world and write materials about it myself.

Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonson said before the start of the meeting of NATO defense ministers that his country is ready to increase military assistance to Ukraine, in particular within the framework of the PURL program and the aviation coalition, Suspilne reports.

According to Jönsson, Sweden, together with Norway and Denmark, has prepared a second military aid package worth 250 million euros and is ready to form new support packages.

The minister emphasized that the dialogue between the Baltic and Northern European countries regarding the distribution of the financial burden in the issue of aid to Ukraine is ongoing. He called it “critically important” because the current situation, in his opinion, is developing on the “wrong trajectory”.

The head of the Swedish Ministry of Defense said that the partners in the aviation coalition call on Sweden to focus on strengthening Ukraine’s air capabilities. He emphasized that Kyiv shows significant interest in Gripen aircraft, and the dialogue on this issue continues.

Paul Jonson said that Ukraine must first receive reconnaissance and early detection aircraft that will allow effective control of F-16 fighters. Only after that, it is possible to expand cooperation in the direction of Gripen.

According to the minister, the simultaneous use in Ukraine of three types of fighters — F-16, Mirage and Gripen — will be a “challenge” for the Ukrainian military, but he emphasized that the work of Western aviation significantly strengthens Ukrainian air defense.

As a reminder, the JAS 39 Gripen (“Gryphon”) is a fourth-generation Swedish multipurpose fighter developed by Saab in the 1980s, known for its maneuverability, economy, and relatively low operating cost.

The aircraft was designed with the Swedish Air Force’s stringent requirements in mind, requiring the ability to take off and land on short, unequipped areas (such as motorways) and to be serviced quickly by a small ground crew, making it ideally suited for decentralized combat work.

The Gripen is capable of fighter (Jakt), attack (Attack) and reconnaissance (Spaning) roles, equipped with advanced avionics including an active phased array radar (in the latest E/F versions) and compatible with Western guided missiles.

It was previously reported that artificial intelligence was installed on the Swedish Gripen fighter and a battle was held against a real pilot.