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- A Ukrainian pilot called the Gripen the only jet "for which I am ready to sell my soul."
- Vadym Voroshylov said the Swedish jet is the ideal option for Ukraine.
- The jet is viewed as the West's best fit for Ukraine as it was designed for a fight with Russia.
A Ukrainian fighter pilot says that he would sell his soul for only one aircraft: the Swedish-made Gripen.
Vadym Voroshylov, a well-known Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot with the call sign Karaya, wrote on Instagram this week that the JAS-39 Gripen "is the only fighter jet in the world I'd be willing to sell my soul for."
He said that this jet us "ideal option" for Ukraine today and also reliable for the future.
Voroshylov's post came after Ukraine and Sweden signed a letter of intent to export up to 150 JAS 39 Gripen E fighter jets to Kyiv. The E variant is the newest and most advanced.
The jet was designed with a fight with Russia in mind, for the kind of war that Russia is waging in Ukraine. It's seen by many warfare experts as a solid option for the Ukrainian air force.
The Gripen was designed to operate even if air bases are destroyed and to require less maintenance than many Western jets, an advantage in wars like Russia’s, where airfields are frequent targets and missile and drone strikes can make few places safe.
A pilot's preferred jet
Voroshylov, who was named a Hero of Ukraine in 2022 and has made headlines throughout the war, including for shooting down two missiles and five drones during an attack on the city of Vinnytsia, shared a list of reasons why he's eager to get his hands on the Gripen.
Russia launches regular attacks on Ukrainian bases and airfields with its Shahed drones, Kalibr cruise missiles, Iskander ballistic missiles, and other weapons. Voroshylov said that the Swedish jet was designed for a fight in which an adversary is targeting airfields like this.
The fighter can operate from damaged airfields, he said. The air intakes are on the sides of the fuselage, making it less likely that the aircraft will suck in small munitions fragments. The intake arrangement, he added, helps reduce radar detection.
The jet can also be refueled with its engine running and turned around for another sortie in minutes, capabilities Voroshylov said are life-saving. "Every second counts," he said, and the Swedish Gripen was made for rapid return to the air.
The Gripen can also carry MBDA's Meteor long-range air-to-air missile.
Voroshylov also said that the Gripen can use both American and European-made weapons, which is great for Ukraine as it fights with a vast array of weaponry it has received from allies.
Additionally, Sweden's Gripen is one of the cheapest and most cost-efficient modern jets to operate. Voroshylov said the Gripen is cheaper to fly per hour than the MiG-29. In the long run, that works in Ukraine's favor.
Ukraine's future force
The jet would be a win for Ukraine's air force and for its industry. Swedish company Saab, the Gripen's manufacturer, said it is prepared to open a final assembly plant for Gripens in Ukraine and may also move some production of Gripens to Ukraine if the deal with Ukraine is finalized.
Ukraine's air force is dominated by aging Soviet-designed aircraft, like the MiG-29, but it also flies some Western jets given to it by partner nations, including the American-made F-16 and France's Mirage. Gripens have long been on Kyiv's wish list, but only recently has there been movement there.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he expects to receive the first Gripens as early as next year. It is not clear how many would arrive in that first batch or when the others would come.
Ukrainian pilots have been training on the jet, but there is likely significantly more work to be done as Ukraine juggles an extremely diverse fleet of aircraft. A benefit of this fleet is that it advances Ukrainian efforts to align with Western militaries.
Voroshylov had long been an advocate for his air force receiving Western jets. When he lobbied for F-16s in 2023, he said that these jets would help make Ukraine a stronger "shield" for the democratic world.
