United to win: Sweden to send $199 mln military aid package to Ukraine

Sweden will send Ukraine a new KR 2.2 billion ($199 million) military support package, including mainly ammunition and spare parts for previously supplied systems.

Defense Minister Pål Jonson also announced that the supply of Jas Gripen combat jets to the warring country would be possible only after Sweden joined NATO, Rubryka reports with reference to Reuters.

Sweden's new assistance package is the 14th wave of military aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war, bringing the cost of the Scandinavian country's support to just over KR 22 billion ($2 billion).

Minister Jonson said at a press conference that the government officially instructed the armed forces to analyze whether Sweden can send Jas Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine. The army's report should include the impact on Sweden's defense capability, economy, and other activities and planning.

The starting point for the report is the introductory JAS 39 Gripen training Ukrainian pilots and ground troops underwent under the auspices of the Swedish Armed Forces. The armed forces must also communicate the terms of possible supply within the international F-16 coalition, of which Sweden is a member.

What we know about Gripen fighter jets for Ukraine

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a fourth-generation multi-role jet designed with versatility in mind. Formally, it belongs to the fighter class, but it was made to perform various tasks.

In late May this year, the Swedish government allowed Ukrainian pilots to undergo training on the JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, practice on simulators, and make test flights.

The Office of the President of Ukraine reported that the supply of Swedish Gripen jets to Ukraine should be coordinated with other countries and the supply of F-16.

However, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson later said that the country also needed planes for its own defense because its application to join NATO had not yet been finalized. At the same time, he did not rule out Sweden transferring fighter jets to Ukraine in the future.

In mid-September 2023, Ukrainian pilots did test flights on Swedish Gripen fighter jets.

As Rubryka reported, later in August, Kyiv and Stockholm signed a declaration of intent on the joint production and maintenance of Swedish CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles.