Hungary has received its final Gripen C fighter jets from Saab, completing the country’s order of four additional aircraft under a 2024 contract.
The last two fighters touched down at Kecskemét Air Base, following the first two aircraft delivered in April.
The latest additions bring Budapest’s fleet to 18 Gripen C/D aircraft — 16 Gripen C fighters and two Gripen D trainers — which are operated to protect and defend Hungarian and NATO airspace.
“We are proud of the Hungarian Air Force, which has now operated Gripen fighters for 20 years,” said Lars Tossman, Senior VP and head of Saab business area Aeronautics. “Thanks to the support and service contract, the Hungarian Gripen fleet will maintain high availability and be continuously upgraded to fulfill all mission requirements for at least a decade ahead.”
Gripen Fighters
Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen C and D aircraft are nearly identical in their technical specifications.
Each aircraft, measuring around 14 meters (46 feet) long with a wingspan of 8 meters (28 feet), has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 14,000 kilograms (30,864 pounds).
Both the Gripen C and D can operate at a top speed of Mach 2 (2,470 kilometers/1,535 miles per hour), a service ceiling of 16,000 meters (52,493 feet), and a range of 2,200 nautical miles (4,074 kilometers/2,532 miles).
Their primary difference lies in their crew capacity.
The single-seat Gripen C is optimized for combat, while the two-seat Gripen D is typically used for advanced pilot training and complex missions that require a dedicated weapon systems officer.
Both variants are also fully armed and are capable of carrying a range of weapons, including the AIM-120 AMRAAM, Meteor, IRIS-T, and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, as well as the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles and laser-guided bombs.
