On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson announced on social media that Saab JAS 39C Gripen multirole fighters would be deployed to Poland from October to support the allied defense of NATO’s eastern flank.
Photo: Astrid Amtén/Försvarsmakten
„Sweden will deploy Gripen aircraft to Poland to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. Poland is a close ally and a vital hub for support to Ukraine. Swedish security is built together with our allies in NATO, and by taking responsibility together.
From October, Swedish Gripen will contribute to NATO’s integrated air and missile defence and help protect the logistics hub in south-eastern Poland. The aircraft will mainly operate from Sweden, with a smaller forward presence in Poland to support operations
Repeated violations of NATO airspace underline the need for high readiness on the eastern flank. Swedish Gripen will strengthen NATO’s ability to deter and defend, while helping protect the military and civilian support that continues to flow through Poland to Ukraine.”
Pål Jonson
This will be the second operational deployment of these multirole fighters to Poland since the Kingdom of Sweden joined NATO on March 7, 2024. The first took place between April and September 2025, when six Swedish JAS 39C Gripens, together with the Loke counter-drone system, were stationed at the 22nd Air Base in Królewo Malborskie in two rotations.
The aircraft were provided by the Norrbotten Wing (F 21) based at Luleå-Kallax Air Base and the Blekinge Wing (F 17) based at Ronneby Air Base. Their mission was to support the protection of allied facilities, including the key POLLOGHUB logistics and medical hub at Rzeszów-Jasionka International Airport, as part of NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU).
The Swedish Air Force (Svenska flygvapnet) currently operates 71 JAS 39C/D Gripens, out of 204 originally procured, while simultaneously introducing their successors, the JAS 39E Gripen. On January 17, 2013, Sweden ordered a total of 60 single-seat JAS 39Es, with an option for 10 additional aircraft added on March 3, 2014. In the future, all of them are to be replaced by a new-generation combat aircraft system, manned and/or unmanned, developed under the KFS (Konceptprogram Framtida Stridsflygsystem) program, codenamed Vägval.
Sweden will deploy Gripen aircraft to Poland to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. Poland is a close ally and a vital hub for support to Ukraine. Swedish security is built together with our allies in NATO, and by taking responsibility together. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/4WaSp2UqYD
— Pål Jonson (@PlJonson) September 30, 2026
Under de senaste fyra åren har vi prioriterat samarbetet i den nordisk-baltiska kretsen och med Polen. För andra gången deltar svenska stridsflygplan i luftrumsövervakningen från Polen för att skydda Natos luftrum och fortsätta leveranser av vapen till Ukraina.
Genom att fullt… pic.twitter.com/YOTAPlJeXG
— Ulf Kristersson (@SwedishPM) September 30, 2026
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