By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Ukraine anticipates receiving a variety of fighter jets, including Swedish Gripens, French Mirages, and additional F-16s, as confirmed by Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk. While the exact delivery timelines and quantities remain undisclosed, the request for at least ten medium-range Patriot systems has also been made. The general refrained from specifying the specifics, stating that the public would see the aircraft in Ukrainian skies before details were released. This follows previous announcements of increased air defense support, including the commitment of two Patriot systems from Germany.
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The Ministry of Defense has announced the expected transfer of Swedish Gripen fighters to Ukraine. While the specifics are still unfolding, and we shouldn’t get our hopes up *too* soon, the inclusion of Gripens in the Ukrainian arsenal is definitely welcome news. Many of us hope they’ll be equipped with long-range Meteor missiles, which would significantly level the playing field against Russian air power. Should these be the upgraded “E” standard Gripens, it could pose a serious threat to Russia, given the “E” variant’s advanced capabilities. It’s a potent jet, arguably superior to most Russian aircraft except for the rarely deployed Su-57. Couple that with the Meteor, and suddenly, Russian jets could start falling from the sky. Logistics officers, undoubtedly, are already preparing for the challenges ahead, perhaps with a mix of apprehension and determination.
Beyond the technical aspects, it’s exciting to consider the strategic implications. On top of the F-16s and Mirage 2000s already in play, the Gripen adds another layer of capability. It’s a testament to the evolving nature of the conflict to see these diverse aircraft – F-16s, Mirage 2000s, and Gripens – operating together within a single military. A crucial element, however, is pilot training. It’s always a bottleneck. The Ukrainians are learning fast, but it takes time to cultivate skilled aviators, and the clock is always ticking. Putin is probably not happy about this.
What kind of missions could these new fighters undertake? While strategic strikes deep within Russia are a possibility, it’s important to remember that the Ukrainian Air Force is still operating in a challenging environment. Given the experience and number of aircraft available to them, the Ukrainian Air Force is probably the best in Europe. But the air defense systems on both sides are advanced. The question is whether they are able to be used effectively, given Russia’s current advantage of being able to launch long range missiles from beyond Ukrainian reach. That’s why equipping the Gripens with Meteor missiles could be a real game changer.
The reality is Ukraine has been steadily building its air power. They already operate a mix of Soviet-era and Western aircraft, including MiG-29s, Su-27s, F-16s, and Mirages. Adding a few more fighters won’t fundamentally alter the overall balance, but it will keep the Air Force fighting and continue to expand their knowledge and experience. The Ukrainian air force is outnumbered and faces modern russian anti-air systems. The Meteor missile would be the ideal solution, and the success of these jets will depend on whether the are equipped with them.
Logistically, integrating the Gripen into the existing mix of aircraft will present challenges. However, Ukraine has a big country and can train more logistics officers. They’ll have different teams for the various jets and while it does add some complexities it’s not that hard to work through. Because all the aircraft are NATO it’s not completely unexpected. The Swedish government started pilot training programs in May 2023, so many pilots should have been through the training. There is some training that is ongoing, and Ukraine has time. Training has been repeatedly cited as a reason why Ukraine couldn’t be given F-16s and yet it only took about 12 months from the time training began to the time Ukrainian pilots were flying them. If the training would have begun once it was clear Kyiv wouldn’t fall then Ukraine would have had F-16s by summer 2023 instead of summer 2024. The time to think about winter 2025 was a year or two ago. The time to think about 2026 and 2027 is today yet I guarantee there will still be people in 2026 and 2027 saying that “training time” is a problem for Ukraine.
The key is to avoid past mistakes. A year of delay on getting Ukraine western jets can be a year that Ukraine is not capable of defending itself.
The nature of modern air combat, with long-range missiles predominating, means that direct “dogfights” are unlikely. The more important aspect is the capacity to strike with long-range precision, particularly by the use of stand-off munitions, and drones. The F16s are already being used for ground strikes.
The arrival of the Gripen, combined with the other aircraft in service, will help maintain Ukraine’s air force and allow the country to learn more about flying and maintaining western aircraft. The Ukrainian pilots have already started to launch ground strikes from F-16s as early as Feb 25′, and they only received them July 24′. As long as the Ukrainians are supplied with enough ammunition and resources, they can continue to fight.