The Hungarian Air Force plays an important role within NATO, a role that will be further strengthened with the arrival of four additional Gripen fighter aircraft.
According to a Facebook post by Hungary’s Embassy in Stockholm, 2026 will mark 20 years of cooperation between Hungary and Saab, the Swedish aerospace company, and two decades since Hungary began operating Gripen JAS-39 fighter jets.
The post notes:
“By this summer, four new Gripen C aircraft will be added to the Hungarian Gripen fleet. Ambassador Péter Palóczi and his colleagues viewed these planes during a visit to the Saab factory in Linköping, where they held discussions with Saab executives and staff responsible for the Gripen program.”
Hungary currently operates 14 Gripen fighter jets; with the new delivery, this number will increase to 18.
The purchase was announced in 2024 by Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, who justified the decision by citing Hungary’s expanding international commitments and the changing security environment in Europe.
At the time, the minister emphasized that the Gripen is a high-tech, multi-role combat aircraft with outstanding capabilities in air-to-air combat, ground attack missions, and operational efficiency. He also highlighted that the Hungarian Gripen fleet, which forms the backbone of the country’s air force, is widely recognized internationally.
Hungarian JAS-39 aircraft have repeatedly participated in NATO missions, including the Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission, protecting the airspace of the Baltic states. In addition, Hungarian Gripens jointly safeguard Slovenia’s airspace with Italy, and, in cooperation with the Visegrád Group (V4), also contribute to the air defence of Slovakia.
With the arrival of the new aircraft, Hungary’s air force is set to further reinforce its regional and NATO-level defence capabilities.
