전투기 그리펜E를 주문한 우크라이나

[위종민]

우크라이나가 그리펜E 16대를 주문했다고 사브가 발표했네요. 우크라이나에 공여하기로 한 그리펜C/D 16대는 2027년부터, 그리펜E는 2029년부터 인도될 예정입니다. 계약규모는 246억 크로나(약 25억 달러)라고 합니다. 

그리펜 E 전투기, 우크라이나 도입 공식 확정

스웨덴의 최신예 전투기가 우크라이나에 인도되며 공군 전력에 대대적인 향상을 가져올 전망이다. 

Thomas Newdick

2026년 6월 30일

스웨덴 방산업체 Saab는 오늘 우크라이나에 그리펜 E 전투기 16대를 공급하는 계약을 체결했다고 발표했다. 이 전투기들이 실전 배치되면 우크라이나 공군이 운용하는 가장 강력한 전투기가 될 것으로 보인다. 이번 계약은 스웨덴이 앞서 이전 세대인 그리펜 C/D 최대 16대를 우크라이나에 공여하기로 결정한 데 이은 것이다. 그리펜 C/D는 2027년 초부터 우크라이나에 인도될 예정이며, 그리펜 E는 2029년부터 인도가 시작된다. 

이번 계약은 스웨덴 국방부 산하 정부 조달기관인 스웨덴 국방물자청(FMV)과 Saab 사이에서 체결됐다. 계약 규모는 약 246억 스웨덴 크로나(약 25억 달러)이며, 올해 3분기 실적으로 반영될 예정이다. 

Saab는 2029년부터 2030년 사이 FMV에 신형 전투기를 인도하며, 이후 우크라이나로 이전된다. 

스웨덴 북부를 비행 중인 그리펜 E. (Saab / Jörgen Ericsson; Saab AB) 

계약에는 그리펜 E 전투기 16대 외에도 예비부품과 관련 장비가 포함된다. 

Saab의 사장 겸 CEO인 Micael Johansson은 성명을 통해 다음과 같이 밝혔다.

"스웨덴과 Saab가 이제 우크라이나에 그리펜 E를 제공할 수 있게 된 것을 매우 자랑스럽게 생각합니다. 세계 최고 수준의 전투기인 그리펜 E는 우크라이나 공군의 능력을 근본적으로 변화시킬 것입니다. 이는 우크라이나의 방공 능력을 크게 강화하고 국민과 국가의 미래를 지키는 데 중요한 역할을 하게 될 것입니다." 

같은 성명은 우크라이나 공군 운용에 적합한 그리펜 시리즈의 특징도 설명했다.

"그리펜은 가혹한 환경에서 첨단 위협에 대응하도록 설계됐습니다. 뛰어난 운용 유연성과 생존성 덕분에 짧은 활주로와 임시 활주로, 도로에서도 운용할 수 있으며 분산 운용과 높은 가동률을 지원합니다. 소프트웨어 기반 아키텍처는 지속적인 성능 향상과 변화하는 작전 요구에 맞춘 개량을 가능하게 합니다. 정비 요구가 적고 재출격 시간이 짧아 운용과 유지가 쉬운 첨단의 경제적인 전투기 능력을 제공합니다." 

핀란드에서 시험 중인 그리펜 E. (Saab) 

이러한 특징은 단순한 홍보 문구가 아니라 그리펜 설계 철학 자체에 반영된 요소이며, TWZ는 이미 2022년 우크라이나 도입 가능성을 다루면서 이를 분석한 바 있다.

당시 기사에서는 다음과 같이 설명했다.

냉전 시기 소련의 위협에 대응하기 위해 개발된 그리펜은 효율성과 내구성, 전시 운용의 용이성을 목표로 설계됐다. 적은 인원의 정비팀만으로도 재무장과 정비가 가능하며, 일반 공군기지 대신 도로나 임시 활주로 같은 분산 기지에서 운용하도록 만들어졌다. 이 전투기의 설계 개념은 혹독한 환경, 특히 장기간의 한랭 기후에서도 지속적으로 전투를 수행하는 데 초점을 맞추고 있다. 

우크라이나 공군도 기존 전투기를 전국의 분산 거점에서 운용하기 위한 전술과 장비를 이미 발전시켜 왔다. 전쟁 이전부터 고속도로를 활주로 대용으로 사용하는 훈련도 실시했다. 

그리펜 C/D 역시 상당한 성능 향상이지만, 앞서 언급했듯이 이전 세대 기종이며, 신속한 인도를 위해 스웨덴이 보유하던 중고 기체가 제공된다. 

적외선 대응체계를 발사하는 그리펜 C. (Saab) 

겉모습은 비슷하지만 그리펜 E는 C/D와는 매우 다른 기체다.

그리펜 E는 기체가 더 커져 연료 탑재량이 약 30% 증가했고, 더욱 강력한 General Electric F414 엔진을 탑재했으며, 무장 및 장비를 위한 하드포인트도 총 10개를 갖췄다. 조종석은 완전히 새롭게 설계됐으며, C/D의 3개 디스플레이 대신 단일 대형 광역 디스플레이(WAD)가 적용됐다. 

그리펜 E는 최대 7발의 MBDA Meteor 장거리 공대공 미사일을 탑재할 수 있다. Meteor는 C/D에서도 운용 가능하지만, E형에서는 Leonardo ES-05 Raven 능동전자주사식배열(AESA) 레이더와 Leonardo Skyward G 적외선 탐색추적장비(IRST)와 통합 운용된다. 

Meteor를 발사하는 그리펜 E. (Saab) 

ES-05 Raven은 우크라이나가 처음으로 운용하게 되는 AESA 전투기 레이더가 될 예정이다. AESA는 기존 기계식 레이더보다 훨씬 먼 거리에서 표적을 더욱 빠르고 정확하게 탐지·추적할 수 있다. 레이더 반사면적이 작은 표적이나 초저고도로 비행하는 표적도 기존 레이더보다 훨씬 효과적으로 탐지할 수 있어 드론과 순항미사일 요격에 특히 유리하다. 

ES-05 Raven의 특징 가운데 하나는 회전식 재배치 장치(스와시플레이트)에 장착됐다는 점이다. 일반적인 전투기의 AESA 안테나는 정면을 향해 고정되지만, 이 장치는 좌우로 회전해 탐지 시야를 크게 넓힐 수 있다. 

TWZ가 이전에도 설명했듯이 Meteor는 우크라이나가 러시아 전투기와의 공중전 균형을 회복하는 데 절실히 필요한 새로운 등급의 공대공 무기다. 

Meteor는 현재 실전 배치된 공대공 미사일 가운데 가장 뛰어난 성능을 가진 무기 중 하나다. 램제트 추진기관을 사용해 비행 단계별 추력을 조절할 수 있으며, 일반적으로 약 130마일 거리까지 효과적인 교전이 가능한 것으로 평가된다. 

또한 종말 단계에서는 능동 레이더 탐색기를 사용하며, 양방향 데이터링크를 통해 비행 중 지속적으로 목표 정보를 갱신하고 발사한 전투기에도 정보를 전송한다. 

모든 그리펜은 우크라이나의 F-16과 일부 지상 방공체계가 사용하는 AIM-120 AMRAAM도 운용할 수 있다. 

또한 360도 전방위 미사일 접근경보체계(MAWS)를 포함한 새로운 Saab 전자전 체계(EWS)도 탑재된다. 

눈에 잘 띄지는 않지만, 그리펜 E의 항전장비 아키텍처는 새로운 하드웨어와 소프트웨어를 신속히 통합할 수 있도록 설계됐다. 운용국은 자체적으로 새로운 소프트웨어를 개발해 변화하는 위협에 맞춰 새로운 기술과 체계를 도입할 수도 있다. 

편대기의 조종석에서 바라본 그리펜 E. (Saab) 

우크라이나는 스웨덴이 제공한 Erieye 레이더 장착 Saab 340 조기경보통제기(AEW&C) 2대와 그리펜을 연계 운용함으로써 성능을 극대화할 수 있다. 

Saab 340 AEW&C는 러시아 표적을 탐지·추적하고 위협 우선순위를 판단하며 아군 전투기를 유도하는 공중 지휘통제 플랫폼 역할을 수행할 수 있다. 또한 데이터링크를 통해 미사일 발사 이후에도 중간 유도 정보를 제공한다. 따라서 전투기는 자체 레이더를 켜지 않고도 표적을 공격할 수 있으며, 미사일은 발사 후 AEW&C 항공기로부터 지속적으로 유도 정보를 받아 목표를 향해 비행한다. Erieye 레이더는 지상 및 해상 표적 탐지 능력도 뛰어난 것으로 알려져 있다. 

브라질은 그리펜 E(복좌형 F 포함)의 첫 해외 고객이었으며, 자국 생산라인 구축 기회가 도입 결정에 큰 영향을 미쳤다. 이후 태국이 기존 그리펜 C/D를 보강하기 위해 소수의 E/F를 도입했고, 콜롬비아도 그리펜 E/F를 구매하고 있다. 스웨덴은 총 60대의 그리펜 E를 발주했으며, 첫 기체는 지난해 실전 부대에 인도됐다. 

기체 간 높은 공통성 덕분에 우크라이나는 그리펜 E를 비교적 쉽게 전력화할 수 있을 것으로 보인다. 

스웨덴 정부에 따르면 우크라이나 조종사와 정비사를 대상으로 한 그리펜 C/D 교육은 이미 진행 중이며, 올가을부터 확대될 예정이다. 

이번 그리펜 E 도입은 더 큰 사업의 시작일 수도 있다.

장기적으로는 100~150대의 그리펜을 확보하는 것이 목표다. 다만 현재로서는 이러한 이전 계획은 의향 표명 수준에 머물러 있다. 

이와 유사하게 프랑스는 향후 10년 동안 우크라이나가 Dassault Rafale F4를 최대 100대 구매하는 계획에 대한 의향서를 체결한 상태다. Rafale는 최소한 그리펜 E와 동급 이상의 성능을 가지며 일부 분야에서는 더 뛰어나지만, 이처럼 대규모로 두 기종을 모두 확보할 수 있을지는 여전히 의문이다. 

표준형 Rafale F4. (Dassault Aviation) 

그리펜 E는 그리펜 C/D보다 우크라이나에 훨씬 더 큰 의미를 갖는다. 우크라이나 공군은 이미 서방이 제공한 F-16과 소수의 Mirage 2000을 운용하고 있지만, 여전히 소련 시절 전투기에 크게 의존하고 있다. 특히 MiG-29는 서방제와 국산 신형 무장을 지속적으로 통합해 왔지만, 기체 노후화와 지속적인 손실로 전체 전력은 꾸준히 감소하고 있다. 

2024년 8월 우크라이나가 인도받은 첫 F-16 가운데 한 대. (Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images) 

그리펜 C/D와 그리펜 E를 함께 운용하게 되면 우크라이나는 지금까지 경험하지 못했던 현대적이고 네트워크 중심의 전투기 전력을 갖추게 된다. 장거리 Meteor 미사일과 Erieye 조기경보통제기의 지원이 결합되면 러시아 공군에 대응하고 자국 영공을 방어하는 능력이 크게 향상될 뿐 아니라, 지상 표적에 대한 정밀 타격 능력도 확보하게 된다. 

무엇보다 중요한 것은 이 스웨덴제 전투기들이 우크라이나 공군을 첨단 서방제 전투기를 중심으로 하는 새로운 시대로 이끌게 된다는 점이다. 

Thomas Newdick

Thomas Newdick은 TWZ의 기자로 군용 항공, 방위기술, 무기체계, 국제안보를 취재하고 있다. 독일 베를린을 기반으로 분쟁, 군 현대화, 신흥 항공우주기술을 보도하며, 특히 공군력과 현대전에서의 역할을 전문적으로 다루고 있다. 그의 기사는 유럽을 중심으로 현대 및 역사적 공군력, 항공작전, 항공우주 기술 발전에 대한 깊은 전문성을 바탕으로 작성된다. 

Gripen E Fighters Officially Ordered By Ukraine

Gripen E Fighters Officially Ordered By Ukraine

Gripen E Fighters Officially Ordered By Ukraine

Sweden’s most advanced fighter will be headed to Ukraine, bringing a major capability boost.

Thomas Newdick

Published Jun 30, 2026 4:40 PM EDT

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Swedish defense firm Saab announced today that it had signed a contract to provide 16 Gripen E fighters to Ukraine. Once they arrive in the country, the jets will likely provide Ukraine with its most capable combat aircraft, and the development comes after Stockholm agreed to donate up to 16 of the previous-generation Gripen C/Ds to Ukraine. Handover of the Gripen C/Ds in Ukraine is slated to take place in early 2027, while the Gripen Es are scheduled for delivery starting in 2029.

The deal was signed between Saab and the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV), the governmental procurement agency acting under the Swedish Ministry of Defense. The order is valued at around SEK 24.6 billion (approximately $2.5 billion) and will be booked in the third quarter of this year.

Saab is scheduled to deliver the new jets to the FMV between 2029 and 2030, after which they will be transferred to Ukraine.

A Gripen E in the northern part of Sweden. Saab “Jörgen Ericsson; Saab AB”

In addition to the 16 Gripen E fighters, the contract also includes spare parts and associated items and equipment.

“I am deeply proud that Sweden and Saab can now enable the provision of Gripen E to Ukraine, bringing a world-class fighter that will transform the Ukrainian Air Force’s capability. This will significantly strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and help ensure the nation can protect its people and safeguard its future,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab, in a statement from the company.

The same statement also outlined particular features of the Gripen series that it says make it ideal for operations with the Ukrainian Air Force:

“Gripen is designed to address advanced threats in demanding environments. Operational flexibility and resilience enable operations from short stretches, temporary runways or roads, supporting dispersed operations and high availability. The software-based architecture facilitates continuous upgrades and adaptation to evolving operational requirements. With low maintenance requirements and fast turnaround, Gripen provides an advanced and cost-effective fighter capability that is easy to operate and maintain.”

A Gripen E during trials in Finland. Saab

These qualities, not restricted to, but notably baked into the Gripen design philosophy, are something we have explored as long ago as 2022, in the context of potential deliveries to Ukraine. In our previous coverage, we noted:

Designed during the Cold War to meet the Soviet threat, the Gripen was engineered for efficiency, durability, and ease of operation under wartime conditions. It was specifically designed to be serviced and rearmed by small teams — often including conscript personnel — while operating from dispersed locations such as roads and improvised airstrips instead of traditional air bases. The aircraft’s entire concept centers on maintaining combat operations in demanding environments, including prolonged cold-weather conditions.

Gripen – Always combat ready

Even with its existing fighters, the Ukrainian Air Force has developed tactics and equipment to operate these jets from dispersed locations around the country. Prior to the current conflict, Ukrainian fighters were training to make use of highways as alternatives to traditional runways.

Already, the Gripen C/D represents a significant advance, but, as noted, these are previous-generation jets, and they are secondhand aircraft drawn from Swedish stocks to expedite delivery.

A Gripen C launches infrared countermeasures. Saab

Compared to the Gripen C/D, the Gripen E, as you can read about here, is a very different proposition, despite its superficially similar appearance.

In contrast to the older jet, the Gripen E has a bigger fuselage that accommodates approximately 30 percent more fuel and has a more powerful General Electric F414 engine, plus a total of 10 hardpoints for weapons and other stores. The cockpit is entirely revised, and the pilot is provided with a single Wide Area Display (WAD), replacing the three separate displays in the Gripen C/D.

The Gripen E can carry up to seven MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, weapons also compatible with the Gripen C/D, although in the new aircraft these are integrated with the Leonardo ES-05 Raven active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and the Leonardo Skyward G infrared search and track (IRST) sensor.

Gripen E fires Meteor. Saab

The ES-05 Raven is set to be the first AESA fighter radar for Ukraine. Arrays of this kind bring a significant boost to modern combat aircraft. In comparison with traditional mechanically scanned array technology, an AESA can find and track a target at a much greater range, more quickly, and with a greater degree of accuracy. This also applies to smaller threats, including those with limited radar signatures, or flying at very low levels, which older radars find much harder to detect. This makes it especially relevant to hunting drones and cruise missiles, which are small targets often encountered by Ukraine en masse.

One particular feature of the ES-05 Raven on the Gripen E is the fact that the radar is mounted on a rotating repositioner, also known as a swashplate. As you can read about here, this enables the electronically scanned antenna, which is normally fixed in a forward position on fighter aircraft, to be slewed to the left and to the right in order to increase its field of view.

As we have discussed in the past, the Meteor would provide Ukraine with a class of air-to-air weapon that it badly needs to redress the balance against Russian fighter jets.

The Meteor is among the most capable air-to-air missiles in operational service anywhere in the world. Thanks to its ramjet propulsion, which can be throttled during different phases of flight, the Meteor is generally considered to be effective against certain types of targets out to around 130 miles.

The Meteor also features an active radar seeker for the terminal phase and a two-way datalink that feeds it with in-flight updates as it flies out to its target and provides information to the pilot in the launch aircraft.

Meteor

All Gripens can also be armed with the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) that arms Ukraine’s F-16 fighters as well as several of its ground-based air defense systems.

The jet also includes a new Saab Electronic Warfare System (EWS), featuring a 360-degree spherical Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS).

Less obvious is the Gripen E’s avionics architecture, which is designed to enable the rapid insertion of new hardware and updated software applications to take on new missions. Customers are also able to design and develop their own software to introduce new technologies and systems to keep pace with ever-evolving threats.

A Gripen E seen from the cockpit of its wingman. Saab

Furthermore, Ukraine will be able to maximize the potential of its Gripens by operating them in conjunction with its two Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft equipped with Erieye radar that have been donated by Sweden.

The Saab 340 AEW&C can serve as an airborne fighter control platform by detecting and tracking Russian targets, prioritizing threats, and directing friendly fighters to intercept them. Using its datalink system, the aircraft can also provide mid-course guidance updates to missiles after launch. This allows fighter pilots to engage targets without necessarily activating their own radar. Instead, a missile can be assigned a target before launch, fired, and then receive continuous guidance updates from the AEW&C aircraft until it reaches the target. The Erieye radar is also notably effective when tracking ground and maritime targets.

Brazil was the first export customer for the Gripen E (also taking the two-seat Gripen F version), with its decision to buy the fighter influenced to a significant degree by the opportunity to establish a domestic production line. It was followed by Thailand, which secured a small batch of Gripen E/Fs to bolster its existing Gripen C/D fleet, and Colombia, which is also buying Gripen E/Fs. Meanwhile, Sweden has ordered 60 Gripen Es, the first of which was delivered to an operational unit last year.

A Brazilian Air Force Gripen E. Saab

Otherwise, the commonality between the aircraft will ensure that the Gripen E is easier for the Ukrainians to introduce.

According to Swedish officials, the training of Ukrainian pilots and technicians on the Gripen C/D is already underway and will be expanded this fall.

These Gripen Es could be just the start of a much bigger program.

The long-term ambition remains 100-150 Gripen aircraft. However, this transfer only exists as a statement of intent for now, as we have previously reported.

A similar letter of intent covers a plan for Kyiv to buy up to 100 Dassault Rafale F4 fighters from France over the next 10 years. These Rafales are at least as advanced as the Gripen Es, and superior in some respects, but there remain glaring questions about whether they can both be procured, especially in such numbers.

A Standard F4 Rafale. Dassault Aviation/C. Cosmao © Dassault Aviation – C. Cosmao / © Dassault Aviation – C. Cosmao

The Gripen E is an even bigger deal for Ukraine than the Gripen C/D. The Ukrainian Air Force has already received Western-supplied F-16s and a smaller number of Mirage 2000s, but still relies heavily on its Soviet-era fighters. The MiG-29 Fulcrum, in particular, has been continually adapted to carry new weaponry, both Western-supplied and locally developed, but these are all aging jets and the fleet overall has been steadily reduced by attrition.

One of the first F-16s received by Ukraine is seen in August 2024. Photo by Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images VITALII NOSACH

Taken together, the Gripen C/D and Gripen E will provide Ukraine with a modern, networked fighter force unlike anything it has operated before. Combined with long-range Meteor missiles and Erieye AEW&C support, the aircraft will significantly enhance Ukraine’s ability to challenge Russian airpower and defend its airspace, and it will also be able to deliver precise attacks against surface targets.

Perhaps more importantly, these Swedish-made jets will bring the Ukrainian Air Force into a new era in which it is spearheaded by advanced, Western-made combat aircraft.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Thomas NewdickStaff Writer

Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at TWZ, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond.

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