Gripen fighters need a more "heavier" partner: why it is important for the Armed Forces, - analysts

Columnists of the Defense Express profile publication looked into the issue of the need to strengthen the Ukrainian Air Force with heavy fighters that could carry more weapons on board. In their material, they write that Ukraine, according to some estimates, can receive up to 250 fighter jets, although such a scale goes beyond even the prospective defense budget.

By comparison, countries with powerful economies, such as Great Britain, Germany, France and Sweden, have much more modest numbers of combat aircraft, which reflects the real cost of operating modern aircraft. However, experts believe that Gripen alone, which are light single-engine fighters, may not be enough to conduct full-fledged air operations. In this context, the option of a "heavy" fighter - Rafale from Dassault Aviation - is being discussed.

The Turkish Eurofighter Typhoon, due to the high cost of the contract, is almost immediately excluded from the discussion. At the same time, experts note that the technical advantage of the Rafale over the Gripen E/F is not so significant: the payload of the French aircraft is only 2-3 tons higher (up to 9. 5 tons), and the combat radius is 1,850 km compared to 1,500 km in the Gripen E.

At the same time, the French machine has more suspension points, but for heavy weapons, their number is equal to 5. Both fighters have the possibility of refueling in the air, but the cost and operating costs of the Rafale remain significantly higher. A real boost could be provided by the purchase of the F-15EX, an American fighter of generation 4+, with a payload of 13. 3 tons and the ability to carry up to 24 weapons.

Interest in this model from Ukraine existed as early as 2019-2021, but the high price and delayed production by Boeing make this option unrealistic. Another hypothetical alternative would be a pair of Gripen plus an F-35, but the supply of fifth-generation fighters to Ukraine so far looks even less likely. Instead, Sweden is actively developing the direction of unmanned combat aircraft as part of the F-series program.

The first sample of the "loyal guided" weighing more than 5 tons uses a number of Gripen E/F technologies and is capable of performing the functions of reconnaissance, electronic cover and additional weapons carrier. "That is why, if we are already considering the "couple" for Gripen, then first of all it is worth paying attention to what Saab itself, the aircraft's developer, is offering, as well as what the Swedish Air Force is interested in.

It is also worth remembering that as part of the development of the F-series, Sweden is also developing a sixth-generation fighter," the analysts concluded. It will be recalled that military expert Roman Svitan gave an assessment of the Swedish JAS 39 Gripen E aircraft, comparing them along the way with the F-16 fighters of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.