The Swedish Air Force has carried out the first launch of a Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missile from a Gripen C fighter at the Vidsel test range in Norrbotten. Defense Express reported this, citing the Swedish Air Force, writes UNN.
Details
The Swedish military released footage of the test and said that integrating Taurus with the Gripen "opens up new opportunities for conducting strikes over long distances." For Sweden, this is an important milestone, as the fighter is gaining a full-fledged long-range strike capability.
The integration of Taurus with the Gripen C/D is progressing faster than previously expected. Initially, the work for the C/D versions was scheduled to be completed no earlier than 2028, and for the newer Gripen E/F - by 2032. The mere fact of a test launch does not yet mean that all work has been completed, but it may indicate that the integration could be completed earlier than planned.
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For Ukraine, this development is of particular importance, as the Ukrainian Air Force is expected to receive Swedish Gripen C/D fighters in the coming years, followed later by the Gripen E. At the same time, the integration of Taurus onto Swedish fighters does not mean that Ukraine will automatically receive these missiles.
Ukraine does not have Taurus yet
The German-Swedish Taurus cruise missile has still not been supplied to Ukraine, despite significant military assistance from Germany. Earlier, there were also claims that the supply of missiles to Kyiv could have been blocked by the United States; however, MBDA Deutschland categorically denied this information.
According to Defense Express, Ukraine could potentially receive Taurus KEPD 350 missiles from existing stocks in Germany, Spain, and South Korea. At the same time, Spain has only a small number of such missiles, while South Korea is unlikely to agree to transfer lethal weapons.
Another option is linked to the new Taurus Neo version, whose range is expected to be about 1,000 km. However, its production is planned to begin only in 2029, and these timelines may prove optimistic.
Thus, the test launch of Taurus from a Gripen C creates a technical basis for using such missiles on fighters of this type, which are also expected to appear in Ukraine, but it is not confirmation of the future transfer of Taurus to Ukraine's Defense Forces.