Ukrainian Pilots Are Preparing To Transition To A New NATO Fighter Jet

French engineers are working on integrating the AASM Hammer air-to-ground bombs onto the Swedish Gripen.

Le Figaro reports that France has actively joined efforts to prepare for the transition of the Ukrainian Air Force to the Western-made Gripen fighter jet.

French engineers are already working on integrating the AASM Hammer guided bombs onto the Gripen. This is an important technical detail: Ukraine already uses these bombs on Soviet-era aircraft and French Mirage 2000 fighters.

Integrating the AASM Hammer onto the Gripen will allow the Ukrainian Air Force to use French weaponry it is already familiar with on a new platform. This could simplify the transition to Swedish fighter jets and reduce dependence on exclusively American weapons, including guided bombs.

At the same time, France, together with Sweden, wants to participate in the initial training of Ukrainian pilots, including for the Swedish Gripen fighters. This means that the discussion is not only about the future transfer of aircraft but also about a broader restructuring of the Ukrainian Air Force to incorporate several Western platforms.

The Swedish Gripen was designed with operation in challenging conditions, dispersed basing, and relatively rapid infrastructure deployment in mind.

For Ukraine, which lives under the constant threat of Russian missile and drone strikes on airfields, this is particularly important.

The transition of the air force to Western aircraft is not just a matter of the fighter jets themselves. It requires trained pilots, engineers, logistics, compatible weapons, and maintenance and repair capabilities. The more existing munitions that can be integrated into the new platforms, the faster the aircraft will be able to provide real benefits on the front lines.

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