Swedish defense manufacturer Saab AB is considering establishing a production facility for Gripen fighter jets in Ukraine, according to CEO Micael Johansson in an interview with Financial Times. Johansson said that Saab would need to expand its manufacturing capacity to fulfill a new large-scale contract related to supplying aircraft to Ukraine.
Last week, it was revealed that Sweden plans to sell up to 150 modern JAS 39 Gripen E fighters to Ukraine. The declaration of intent was signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The final agreement is expected to include between 100 and 150 aircraft, which, according to Johansson, would double Saab’s production requirements.
The company’s CEO emphasized that the idea of building a production site in Ukraine, despite the challenges of wartime conditions, is both realistic and promising. Saab is considering organizing at least final assembly and testing of the aircraft in Ukraine, followed by partial component manufacturing. Johansson noted that such a move would be an important symbol of cooperation and technological integration between Ukraine and Europe’s defense sector.
In addition to Ukraine, Saab is also exploring opportunities to expand aircraft production in Brazil, Canada, and other European countries. The company aims to diversify its manufacturing network to reduce dependence on individual facilities and ensure timely delivery under new contracts.
The agreement with Ukraine is currently in the financial coordination stage. One of the funding options under discussion involves the use of frozen Russian assets, should partner nations reach a political consensus on their utilization.
For Saab, this deal would become one of the largest in its history. To date, the company has delivered 60 Gripen jets to the Swedish Air Force, 36 to Brazil, and 4 to Thailand — meaning the potential Ukrainian order would exceed all previous deliveries combined.
Earlier, in July 2024, Sweden had offered to supply Gripen fighters to Ukraine, but Kyiv declined at the time, choosing instead to focus on acquiring American F-16s to avoid complicating pilot training and maintenance systems. However, in September 2025, Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk confirmed that Ukraine would proceed with receiving Gripen aircraft, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the first deliveries are expected in 2026.
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight multirole fighter designed for air defense, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions. It first flew in 1988 and entered service with the Swedish Air Force in 1997.
Gripen jets are considered particularly well-suited for Ukrainian conditions, as they were developed with potential confrontation with Russia in mind. They can take off and land on regular highways, require minimal maintenance, and deliver high combat performance at relatively low operating costs.
Thus, the construction of a Saab plant in Ukraine could mark not only an economic and technological breakthrough but also a new stage of defense partnership between Ukraine and Sweden.
