Swedish Air Force Gripen fighters on quick-reaction alert were scrambled to intercept Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers over the Baltic Sea on Thursday, as the Russian strategic aircraft were conducting a training flight escorted by Su-35 air superiority fighters. The bombers flew from the Olenya Air Base on the Kola Peninsula in the Russian Far North, after having been repositioned from bases in Siberia. NATO aircraft monitored the formation at various stages, with Sweden’s recent accession to become the alliance’s newest member allowing its forces to coordinate more closely with those of other members. The Swedish Air Force did not report any unsafe manoeuvres during the encounter, with the Russian aircraft remaining outside the airspace of Sweden and other NATO members throughout the mission.
Tu-22M3 bombers were equipped with Kh-32 long range cruise missiles, which are considered among the most potent anti-ship weapons fielded anywhere in the world. The missile type has a Mach 5 speed in its terminal stages, a 1000 kilometre engagement range, and follows a complex trajectory with a steep dive in its terrain phase which makes it extremely difficult to intercept. The Kh-22, on which the newer design is closely based, has proven nearly impossible to intercept for Ukrainian Patriot and S-300 air defences systems. The Kh-22 was considered a leading threat to American carrier groups during the Cold War, which was a primary factor leading the U.S. Navy to finance its most expensive fighter program of the conflict, the F-14, specifically to provide a long range defence against bomber attacks. Improvements made to the design to develop the Kh-32 have been intended to stay ahead of advances in Western missile defence technologies.
The Swedish Air Force’s Gripen fleet is considered among the most obsolete in NATO, with the aircraft having relatively basic fourth generation level capabilities, while enhanced ‘4+ generation’ Gripen E variants only began to be procured in October to belatedly enhance the fleet. The Gripen is considered to occupy a ‘very light’ weight range with a significantly smaller size, smaller radar, and weaker engine than more common lightweight fighters such as the F-16 and J-10. This limits their weapons payload and situational awareness. The fighters have very limited combat potentials compared to more capable Western fighters such as the F-35A and F-15EX, and compared to advanced Russian fighters like the Su-35 and MiG-31 which carry sensor suites that are several times as large. The Gripen design has instead heavily prioritised low sustainment costs, ease of maintenance, and an impressive short runway performance, making it a highly economical aircraft.