Hungary receives additional Gripens
A file photo of a Hungarian Gripen C. The country has received two additional aircraft as it looks to field 18 such fighters by the time deliveries of a second batch ordered in early 2024 are complete. (Janes/Patrick Allen)
Hungary has received from Sweden two new Gripen C combat aircraft, the manufacturer Saab announced on 30 April 2026.
The single-seat jets are the first half of a batch of four additional Gripen Cs ordered by the Hungarian Air Force (HuAF) in February 2024. Saab did not disclose a delivery timeline for the remaining two aircraft.
With 14 Gripen C/D aircraft having been leased from Sweden in 2001 and entering service in 2006, Hungary will now operate a total of 18 Gripen C/D aircraft to protect and defend Hungarian and NATO airspace.
Although not mentioned in the announcement, these additional aircraft are at the latest MS20 Block 2 standard that has been retrofitted to the HuAF's existing Gripen fleet. This standard includes upgrades to the Saab PS-05/A Mk4 radar to improve both air-to-air target tracking range and overall performance, enhanced Link 16 datalink capabilities, as well as installing the latest NATO Mode 5 standard identification, friend-or-foe (IFF) system.
MS20 Block 2 allows Hungary to choose from a wider selection of weapons, including the Diehl IRIS-T and MBDA Meteor air-to-air missiles, RTX AIM-130C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), Raytheon GBU-49 Paveway precision-guided bombs, and improved DM113 FAP (frangible armour piercing) ammunition for the aircraft's 27 mm cannon.Hungary operates one squadron of leased Gripen C/D combat aircraft with the 101st
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