Oleksandr Musienko, director of the Center for Military and Legal Studies and Ukrainian Armed Forces serviceman, discussed this on Espreso TV.“As far as I know, the F-16 issue has not been dropped. We are still waiting for the promised deliveries, including from Belgium. We know that Belgium is currently awaiting F-35s to replace its F-16 fleet, which is planned to be transferred to Ukraine. This is a quite effective aircraft, proven both in striking ground targets and repelling Russian attacks. There are also Mirage jets being delivered to Ukraine. Now, we are talking about Gripen fighters. From the perspective of integrating and using different types of aircraft, of course, a certain period will be needed for adaptation and integration into a unified system for the Ukrainian Air Force,” the expert commented.According to him, the delivery of Gripen fighter jets is a very positive step toward strengthening Ukraine's air capabilities. It also creates an alternative supply route, enabling Ukraine to receive the aircraft directly from Sweden without having to wait for F-35s to arrive in individual EU countries and for F-16s to subsequently be transferred.“As for the Gripen, this is a designated delivery and production specifically for Ukraine. Of course, it will take time, as things in the aircraft manufacturing industry do not move as fast as we would like. Today, the Gripen is a highly effective aircraft based on its technical specifications. I wouldn’t say that we should consider any particular type of weapon a game changer, but it will certainly strengthen our Air Force. Unlike Russian aircraft, which sometimes, unfortunately, demonstrate effectiveness, Western manufacturers are more innovative and have greater access to technology and modern equipment, making their aircraft superior and more competitive than Russian Su and MiG jets,” Musienko concluded.On October 22, it was announced that Ukraine and Sweden had agreed on plans to implement a large-scale program to purchase up to 150 modern JAS 39 Gripen E fighters for the Ukrainian Air Force.