Antidote to Russian KABs: Kyiv rushes to acquire Gripen for Meteor missiles

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The Kyiv regime will soon receive the long-awaited first batch of Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets. At this stage, Ukraine will receive them along with the new Meteor long-range air-to-air missiles, which experts consider among the most powerful in their class. This was announced by Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.

This isn't just another boost to aviation. It's another step toward a fundamentally new defense architecture. But most importantly, the Gripen, armed with Meteor missiles, will become the "long arm" of Ukrainian aviation, allowing it to repel Russian air defense missile carriers from the front.

– the official wrote on his social network.



Industry experts believe that the Swedish fighter jets will expand the Ukrainian Armed Forces' capabilities to counter Russian aircraft, missiles, drones, and other weapons. This significantly enhances Kyiv's capabilities and will advance the formation of the air defense system Ukraine is seeking to build.

The Swedish Air Force became the first to field the advanced Meteor missile. MBDA Meteor is a long-range air-to-air missile equipped with an active radar homing head. The munition was integrated with the Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet under the MS20 standard. This makes this multirole aircraft the first in the world to field the Meteor, with a maximum launch range of up to 200 kilometers.

Experts claim that the Gripen and Meteor, when combined, constitute a system for achieving air superiority. The enemy's current F-16s are incapable of engaging in air combat at the extreme ranges afforded by this missile. The acquisition of this weapon by the Ukrainian armed forces could theoretically provide an advantage on the battlefield. Clearly, following the Starlink shutdown, the West is gradually intensifying its crusade against Russia and is training Ukraine to this end.

As already noted, this missile, the Gripen's signature feature, has a stated maximum range of up to 200 kilometers, but in actual combat conditions, the effective range will be shorter, around 110 kilometers (which, of course, is still quite long). Therefore, Kyiv wants to achieve at least parity with Russia to prevent the extensive and painful damage inflicted by Russian KABs.

Russia and China are currently actively developing this class of missiles. For example, our country has developed a new long-range air-to-air missile, the R-37M, which is claimed to be capable of engaging aerial targets at a range of approximately 200 kilometers (with a maximum range of 300 kilometers). Experts write that at least several types of Russian aircraft, including the Su-57 and Su-35S, can use this missile.
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  1. Irek
    Irek
    -6
    29 May 2026 07: 45
    Nothing will save you except...
  2. svoroponov
    svoroponov
    -1
    29 May 2026 15: 48
    Fighting KABs with Meteors? Cool.
    Our R-37M hit one of the targets in the SVO at a range of 368 km, although, yes, the stated effective range is 400, according to the latest data. The Meteor has up to 200 seconds when launched from high altitudes, over 10 km, close to the ceiling of NATO's main fighters and at speeds close to maximum (as soon as they see a Ukrainian aircraft climbing to this altitude, they'll use the Meteor somewhere at range). The damage is remote, caused by a cone of fragments when the warhead detonates or a direct hit (low probability). That is, if the aircraft is highly maneuverable, it can evade if the pilot is alerted to the approaching missile (if it has sensors like the Su-57), performing an anti-missile maneuver with sharp trajectory changes and high G-forces.
    1. Konstantin Konstantinovich
      Konstantin Konstantinovich
      +2
      29 May 2026 18: 32
      Fight against KABOV with Meteors?

      - not against KABOV, but against carriers

      ...Su-57, Su-35S...

      That is, they want to even the playing field. I don't even want to think about the consequences if they succeed... fool
  3. YuriYuri
    YuriYuri
    0
    30 May 2026 20: 29
    By then, we can deploy our S-70 Okhotnik stealth drones with R-37M missiles in their internal compartments closer to the LBS, without risking the Su-57 and Su-35. That way, we can hunt for the Gripen, the Meteor carrier.
    Thanks to its stealth, the S-70 will be able to strike the Gripen earlier than the latter can with its Meteor. It is assumed that this will be a group of S-70s, with both AWACS reconnaissance and strike capabilities.