Saab has delivered the first two JAS 39 Gripen C fighter aircraft to Hungary as part of a four-jet order signed in 2024. The aircraft will be based at Kecskemét Air Base in southern Hungary, supporting rapid interception and regional airspace security missions.
The new additions will boost Hungary’s Gripen inventory to 18 aircraft, reinforcing the country’s role in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, where Budapest has already served four rotations as lead nation.
Hungary’s 101st Aviation Wing operates the Gripen fleet after retiring its legacy Mikoyan MiG-29 jets in favor of the Swedish platform in 2008. The JAS 39 Gripen is a multirole combat aircraft measuring up to 16 meters long with a 9-meter wingspan and seating for one or two crew depending on configuration.
Equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems, the fighter can carry 4,535 liters of fuel and a maximum combat payload of 7,200 kilograms. Its General Electric F414 engine enables speeds of up to Mach 2, an operational ceiling of 16,000 meters, and a range exceeding 2,200 nautical miles.
The Gripen’s armament includes a 27mm cannon alongside IRIS-T, AIM-120 AMRAAM, AGM-65 Maverick, and Meteor missiles, as well as anti-ship weapons and precision-guided bombs.
