The Gripen fighters in the C/D version, which form the backbone of Sweden's air force, are set to undergo modernization aimed at expanding their armament options and updating certain systems. Saab announced this, noting that the work will be carried out under a contract valued at approximately $42 million (originally 466 million Swedish kronor).
It was indicated that modern air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles will be integrated under the wings of the Swedish Gripen, though specific details about which products are involved were not disclosed. Nevertheless, the Gripen C/D already possesses a fairly extensive array of armaments for targeting both ground and aerial objectives.
In particular, Saab's official brochure regarding the Gripen C/D arsenal displays a significant variety of weapons, including the most long-range Western air-to-air missile, Meteor from MBDA, which German Eurofighters launched for the first time just a week ago, as well as Taurus cruise missiles. Therefore, it is quite challenging to speculate about which new weapons are being referred to.
Additionally, Saab reported receiving a contract to supply the Swedish Armed Forces with RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missiles and one or more launchers, as the quantity remains undisclosed. The total value of this contract amounts to $72 million (originally 800 million Swedish kronor), with deliveries scheduled to commence in 2026.
It is noteworthy that the subsonic anti-ship missile RBS15 Mk3 has an extended range of 200 km, significantly surpassing the capabilities of previous versions, which had a range of 70 km. The new version also features a new navigation system and an updated radar homing head. The weight of the warhead remains unchanged at 200 kg.
This range allows Sweden to monitor the Baltic Sea from coast to coast in the event of coastal defense systems being stationed on the island of Gotland. It is important to note that RBS15 missiles are installed not only on coastal systems but also on all Swedish corvettes, including the latest Visby class, and they are part of the armament of Gripen fighters.