Saab has completed the assembly of the first of four additional JAS 39C Gripen combat aircraft intended for the Hungarian Air Force, thereby gradually expanding the country’s air capacity in a context characterized by increased geopolitical sensitivity on Europe’s eastern flank.
A photo of the plane was released by the Hungarian Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden.
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The new combat aircraft were ordered in February 2024 and are a supplement to the contract concluded in December 2001 between the Hungarian government and the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration, which laid the foundation for the strategic cooperation between Budapest and Stockholm in the field of air defense. Currently, Hungary operates 14 Gripenaircraft — 12 JAS 39C in single-seat configuration and two JAS 39D in two-seat configuration — which were originally acquired via a leasing agreement.
Under the current terms, the entire Gripen fleet will officially transfer to Hungarian ownership in 2026. Saab will continue to be responsible for logistical support, maintenance and technical assistance for the aircraft until at least 2036, thus ensuring the operational continuity of the fleet in the medium and long term.
In parallel with the expansion of the number of aircraft, the Hungarian Gripen aircraft are undergoing a modernization process stipulated in a contract signed in August 2021 with the Ministry of Defence. The upgrades include the installation of the improved PS-05/Mk4 radar as well as updating the mission software to the MS 20 Block 2 standard, increasing interoperability with NATO forces and effectiveness in modern combat scenarios.
The strengthening of the capacities also includes the armament with the integration of IRIS-T air-to-air missiles, which were ordered from Germany in December 2021.
The program’s geopolitical dimension came into focus in September 2025, when Hungarian JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets intercepted Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea during a NATO air policing mission. The Russian planes flew with radio communications switched off and no flight plan submitted, underscoring the importance of Allied air preparedness in the region.
The development of the Hungarian Gripen program reflects the combination of military modernization, commitment to NATO’s collective defense as well as a deepening of industrial and strategic cooperation with Sweden in a European security environment characterized by persistent tensions.
Source and images: Militarnyi | Embassy of Hungary, Stockholm – Facebook @HunEmbassy.Stockholm. This content was prepared with the help of AI and reviewed by the editors.
