Ukraine’s Potential Acquisition of Swedish Jets with Advanced Missiles
PARIS — Acquiring Swedish Gripen fighter jets armed with Meteor long-range air-to-air missiles could provide Ukraine with a significant defensive boost against Russian glide bombs, which have been relentlessly targeting its frontline positions, according to defense experts.
Sweden has proposed a deal involving the transfer of new Saab Gripen E aircraft to Ukraine, and as part of this agreement, it also plans to provide Ukraine with 16 older Gripen C/D models next year. These older jets might be equipped with MBDA’s Meteor missiles, enhancing Ukraine’s ability to engage Russian aircraft that are currently beyond the range of its F-16 and Mirage fighters, which are only equipped with shorter-range missiles.
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, Russia has escalated its use of glide bombs in 2026, launching them in unprecedented numbers. These glide bombs are particularly effective and challenging for Ukrainian forces, as they erode fortified positions along the front. The bombs are released from aircraft like the Sukhoi Su-34, which operate from safe distances behind the Russian lines, well out of reach of Ukrainian air defenses.
“The combination of Gripen C/D aircraft with Meteor missiles is the most effective countermeasure Ukraine could realistically deploy against Russian glide bombs before they are launched,” stated Fabian Hoffmann, a senior research fellow at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies.
Hoffmann noted that Ukraine has significantly improved its capabilities in electronic warfare against Russian glide bombs, suggesting that while these aircraft and missiles would have been more crucial previously, they remain a valuable addition to Ukraine’s defensive arsenal.
Uncertainty Over the Inclusion of Meteor Missiles
It remains unclear whether the donated Gripens will indeed be equipped with the Meteor missiles. The Meteor, a 3.7-meter missile weighing 190 kg, is considered one of the most effective beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles in Western service, according to analysts. Its ramjet propulsion provides it with the largest no-escape zone of any air-to-air missile, claims MBDA.
While Ukraine’s Brig. Gen. Pavlo Palisa, deputy head of the president’s office, announced on Facebook that the first batch of fighters would include Meteor missiles, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson indicated that the Gripen C/Ds “can be delivered” with the missiles. The Swedish Defense Ministry mentioned that the donation might also come with an advanced ammunition package, potentially including Diehl’s IRIS-T missile, Raytheon’s AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile, and the Meteor. Requests for further details directed at the ministry and Jonson’s spokesperson did not receive immediate responses.
At a press conference in Sweden on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of the Gripens being equipped with Meteor missiles to effectively counter Russian aircraft deploying aerial bombs.
“Gripen C with Meteor provides a significantly better opportunity to intercept Su-34s launching glide bombs from 60-70km behind Russian front lines compared to F-16s with AIM-120 or Mirage 2000 with MICA,” explained Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow specializing in air power at the Royal United Services Institute.
Although the exact range of the Meteor missile is not public, Jussi Halmetoja, a retired Gripen pilot and Saab’s operations adviser for the air domain, mentioned that the missile is capable of reaching targets up to 200 kilometers away, at high speeds. The range of an air-to-air missile generally depends on the speed and altitude of the launching aircraft.
Training for Ukrainian pilots and technicians on the Gripen aircraft has already started and is set to expand this fall, according to Jonson.
In recent aerial operations, Russia deployed nearly 7,000 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine in April, following a record-high of 7,987 munitions in March, as reported by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. The Russian forces typically use 500kg bombs, but they also employ larger 1,500kg bombs designed to destroy heavily fortified structures.
Sweden was the pioneer in deploying Meteor missiles on its Gripen fleet back in 2016. The missile, developed by the pan-European missile manufacturer MBDA in a consortium with six countries including France and the United Kingdom, is also used on the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Aviation’s Rafale. Germany, along with Sweden and France, increased their orders for the missile in January, following an agreement between France and the U.K. earlier this year to conduct a joint 12-month study on developing a successor to the Meteor.
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Jamal Peterson reports on defense, aerospace, and tech policy. With a military background and a strategic mind, he dissects complex subjects with clarity, offering readers sharp, reliable insights.
