Stockholm Offers Fighter Jets for Ukraine if Sweden is Allowed to Join NATO
The offer appeared to be the latest move in an ongoing diplomatic effort to persuade Turkey to drop its objection to Sweden joining the military alliance.
The Swedish defense ministry said on Friday it could contribute its Gripen warplanes to a Western coalition that is trying to speed fighter jets to Ukraine — but only after Sweden is allowed into NATO.
The offer, included in a $200 million package of weapons, 155-millimeter caliber ammunition and other defense support for Ukraine, was the latest move in an ongoing diplomatic effort to persuade Turkey to drop its objection to Sweden joining the military alliance.
“Support in the form of JAS-39 Gripen would be conditional on Sweden first becoming a member of NATO,” the Swedish Defense Ministry said in a statement.
This might be a good decision in peace time. But Ukraine is fighting for existence. They won’t care about the most efficient approach. They will care about bring as much capacity to the fight they can. If they can’t get more f16s these aircraft are likely to be welcome.
That’s what I’m referring to, though. Trying to field Grippens as well will diminish their capability of fielding F16s.
We also don’t know what Ukraine think of this offer at this stage, right now Sweden is trying to negotiate its way into NATO, they’re interested in convincing NATO regardless of what Ukraine wants.
We do know what they think about it. They have asked for Gripen on multiple occasions.
Their nation is spending something like half its budget if not more on defence, they can manage a few dozen jets.
Besides, they’ll have to phase out their soviet era jets at some point because of the sheer age of them soon. Those Su-24 etc airframes are probably in rough shape by this point.
Actually now that Finland joined we are surrounded by nato countries so many figure it doesn’t really matter as much or changed their minds on the matter. Not that we got to vote on the matter in the first place, though.