Ukrainian fighter pilot says the Gripen is the only fighter in the world for which he'd sell his soul

Ukrainian fighter pilot says the Gripen is the only fighter in the world for which he'd sell his soul

Briefly

"Vadym Voroshylov, a well-known Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot with the call sign Karaya, wrote on Instagram this week that the JAS-39 Gripen "is the only fighter jet in the world I'd be willing to sell my soul for." He said that this jet us "ideal option" for Ukraine today and also reliable for the future. Voroshylov's post came after Ukraine and Sweden signed a letter of intent to export up to 150 JAS 39 Gripen E fighter jets to Kyiv."

"The jet was designed with a fight with Russia in mind, for the kind of war that Russia is waging in Ukraine. It's seen by many warfare experts as a solid option for the Ukrainian air force. The Gripen was designed to operate even if air bases are destroyed and to require less maintenance than many Western jets, an advantage in wars like Russia's, where airfields are frequent targets and missile and drone strikes can make few places safe."

"Voroshylov, who was named a Hero of Ukraine in 2022 and has made headlines throughout the war, including for shooting down two missiles and five drones during an attack on the city of Vinnytsia, shared a list of reasons why he's eager to get his hands on the Gripen. Russia launches regular attacks on Ukrainian bases and airfields with its Shahed drones, Kalibr cruise missiles, Iskander ballistic missiles, and other weapons."