Sweden will gift 16 Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine and facilitate the purchase of a further 20 new aircraft, in a deal that will see essential components built in Britain and support more than 5,000 UK jobs, the government has stated.
The announcement was made jointly by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard. The 16 aircraft will be gifted urgently by Sweden, while Ukraine will purchase the additional 20 new Gripens through an EU support loan to ensure longer-term air force capacity. The deal is intended to give Ukrainian forces modern multirole air combat platforms interoperable with NATO allies.
The Gripen, to a degree, is a collaborative programme between the UK, Sweden and the United States, with over 30 percent of each aircraft manufactured in Britain. At least 50 UK-based companies are set to be involved in the deal, including Saab UK in Fareham and Leonardo UK in Edinburgh, covering critical components such as the radar and landing gear.
Starmer said the deal “shows what British industry can achieve on the world stage, supporting thousands of jobs from Yeovil to Edinburgh while helping to deliver the air power Ukraine needs to defend itself against Russia’s illegal invasion,” adding that “by standing with our allies and backing Ukraine, we are securing real benefits for British workers and businesses.”
Pollard said the UK “will not waver” in its support, describing the deal as “both a big boost for Ukraine’s air power and a show of confidence in our world-leading UK defence industry, supporting thousands of good British jobs here at home.”
Combined military support from the UK and Sweden since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 now stands at £11.4 billion. The UK is separately providing 120,000 drones to Ukraine this year as part of its broader military assistance package.
Saab is investing £100 million in its Fareham site in the UK. BAE Systems has a long-standing presence in Sweden through BAE Bofors and BAE Hägglunds. Last summer a squadron of Swedish Gripens deployed to Poland alongside the Royal Air Force to conduct NATO air policing.
Ukraine has made a stellar comeback, Russian morale is at the lowest and Putin knows it, his days as a murderer are numbered
It seems that they have cards after all, which of course only incenses Trump. They and Carney are a beacon to the World, no wonder the unreality host is turning from Orange to Purple.
Great news all round.
Well done all Involved.
There, now you can all squabble amongst yourselves… 😁
If as seems very possible Canada goes Grippen do we have a similar input I wonder or will some of it go local if it’s produced there, can’t change too much I would have thought.
There’s no contest between the F35 and the Gripen. Despite 16 years of political grandstanding, the F35 has won every competition in Canada. There’s a reason why anyone who has access to the F35 is buying them. It’s only second tier airforces that are export customers for the Gripen
Sent flat packed.
🤣 Let’s hope there’s no screws missing… or loose ones for that matter, Putin has a patent on those surely.
I have no Ikea what you are on about.