Ukraine has taken its most ambitious step yet toward rebuilding its air defenses, signing a letter of intent with Sweden that could see the war-ravaged nation acquire up to 150 Saab Gripen fighters to replace its aging Soviet-era fleet.
During a joint press conference in Linköping, Sweden, on October 22, 2025, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the agreement, describing it as the first move in a long-term partnership aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s air capabilities.
The letter of intent covers cooperation agreements for air combat and defence, including the potential export of the latest variant of the Swedish multi-role fighter jet, the Gripen E, developed by Saab AB. According to the Swedish government release, the likely delivery number under discussion with Ukraine lies between 100 and 150 aircraft.
Kristersson told reporters the deal “marks a step towards a massive possible export deal regarding Gripen, likely between 100 and 150 fighter jets, to build a new and very strong Ukrainian Air Force.” Zelenskyy described the acquisition of the Gripen as a priority for Ukraine’s defense strategy, pointing to the need to replace aging Soviet-era aircraft and to integrate modern Western-made platforms.
According to a Reuters, Kristersson emphasized that nothing was finalized yet and that “we fully realize it’s a long road ahead of us … but from today we are committed to exploring all the possibilities in providing Ukraine with a large amount of Gripen fighters in the future.”
Financial and production logistics remain major open questions standing in the way of any deal. The Government of Sweden and Saab will need to ramp up production, and Ukraine will likely require financing via frozen Russian assets or allied funding, Sweden’s Defense Minister Pål Jonson indicated in other commentary. A Defense News article noted that first new-build deliveries could begin in about three years, with full fleet build-out stretching over a decade.
The Gripen E is seen as well-suited to Ukraine’s operational needs: it is capable of operating from austere, dispersed airstrips, is cost-effective compared with fifth-generation fighters, and gives flexibility in air-to-air, air-to-ground and reconnaissance missions. That makes it an attractive choice for Ukraine as it prepares for both its current conflict with Russia and longer-term rebuilding of its air forces.
The scale of the commitment, however, appears ambitious and will depend on production, maintenance, pilot training and supply-chain readiness. “This is how the first major projects truly begin,” one Swedish official said in the LOI announcement.
For Ukraine, the move signals a strategic shift. While it continues to receive Western aircraft such as the US-made F-16 and French Mirage 2000, the Gripen deal would represent one of the largest European fighter-procurement efforts in its history and mark Sweden’s most significant export order in the category.
