Ukraine's deal to acquire Swedish Jas Gripen E fighter jets may fail because too many components for the aircraft are supplied outside the EU. This could hinder EU funding, writes Dagens Nyheter.
One of the conditions for receiving EU funding from Ukraine is a benefit for companies within the EU, especially since EU taxpayers bear the legal and financial risks. Therefore, the price of components purchased outside Ukraine or the EU cannot exceed 35%.
The publication was unable to determine the exact share of components for the Jas Gripen E produced outside the EU. According to Martin Lundmark, a senior lecturer at the Department of Defense Systems at the Swedish Institute for Defense Research, it exceeds 50% and even approaches 60%.
37% of the fighter jet components - sensors, landing gear and ejection seats - are supplied from the United Kingdom. The engine is manufactured by General Electric in the United States. In addition, Washington must also approve the sale of aircraft to Ukraine, or at least not object.
The Swedish Defense Materials Administration (FMV) estimates that less than 35% of component supplies come from countries outside the EU.S. However, FMV only takes into account their quantity, not their value.
On October 24, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson signed a memorandum of understanding on defense issues with Volodymyr Zelensky. As explained by the head of the Swedish cabinet, Stockholm plans to sell 100-150 JAS 39 Gripen E fighters to Kiev. Source: tass.ru