Swedish security expert warns the government: Gripen’s missiles can reach Moscow

The JAS 39 Gripen aircraft, which Sweden is considering sending to Ukraine, is not the biggest problem, according to security expert and former fighter pilot Ulf Gabrielsson. The Gripen's missiles can reach Moscow and deep into Russia. That is where the danger for Sweden lies.

It is instead the advanced weapons that are planned to be integrated onto the aircraft, particularly the German The long-distance robot Taurus, which he sees as a serious threat to Swedish security.

In a statement, Gabrielsson warns that the Swedish weapons systems dramatically change the risks for Sweden. This concerns up to 36 Gripen aircraft that the government wants to donate and sell to Ukraine.

”They're not messing about. It's a long-range air-to-air missile that can shoot down other aircraft from up to ten miles away, that's one hundred kilometres,” he says.

The Gripen's robots can reach Moscow and deep into Russia

The Meteor missile [not the Taurus missile as the editor incorrectly wrote] can pose a significant threat to Russian aircraft, which currently operate relatively freely as they launch missiles and drop glide bombs on Ukrainian targets. The Meteor missile has a range of over 200 kilometres.

”A JAS can take down this robot over Ukrainian airspace and it can reach as far as Moscow. It weighs 1,500 kilos, has a 500-kilo TNT warhead, and can take out bunkers, bridges, and ships,” warns Gabrielsson.

He stresses that the weapons would be very effective for Ukraine, but from a Swedish perspective, he sees significant risks:

”Looking at Sweden's security, this is a huge threat to us. We are becoming an even higher priority target, and our arms industry, with SAAB in Linköping and SAAB Dynamics in Trollhättan manufacturing parts for the Taurus missile.”

The statement comes at a time when the government and the Armed Forces are investigating a comprehensive delivery of Gripens to Ukraine, concurrently with Sweden already supporting Ukraine with other weapon systems and ammunition.

A decision on the aircraft and their weapon load is expected in the near future.

Ulf Gabrielsson has previously criticised Swedish security policy and warned that increasingly deep Swedish involvement in Ukraine could draw Sweden into a direct confrontation with Russia.

In a announcement varnar Gabrielsson för att svenska vapenfabriker i t.ex. Karlskoga kan attackeras av ryska missiler om svenska plan används för att slå till djupt in i Ryssland. Putin har nyligen gett det ryska försvaret grön signal för att attackera utländska vapenfabriker som tillverkar vapen som används mot Ryssland.