Sweden will send more Gripens to Poland

The Minister for Defence of the Kingdom of Sweden, Pål Jonson, announced that he will send JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets to Poland. The Swedish aircraft will guard Polish skies starting from October. At this stage, it is not known how many Gripens will assist in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank.

“Poland is a close ally and a key hub for support to Ukraine. We are building Sweden’s security together with our NATO allies, taking collective responsibility,” Minister Jonson wrote. The Gripens are intended to, among other things, secure the “logistics hub in south-eastern Poland.” The aircraft are primarily expected to operate from Sweden, although operations directly from Polish airbases are also possible.

“The serious security situation and repeated violations of NATO airspace indicate the need for high military readiness on the eastern flank,” the Swedish minister said. Meanwhile, the country’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, recalled that this is the second instance of Swedish support involving Gripens – in March 2025, six such aircraft were deployed to the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork.

Swedish support is another recent allied gesture towards Poland. It is worth noting that the security of Polish skies is also guarded by, among others, Dutch Patriot systems. Recently, the deployment of these batteries was extended until at least the end of this year.