Hungarian Gripen Fleet Undergoes MS20 Block 2 Upgrade

Saab will deliver the upgrade, which will increase both Gripen’s combat and communication capabilities, as well as access to a wide range of weapons that can be integrated on Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighters By DA Staff / 18 Jan 2022

Discover Leading Defense Technology Solutions

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Saab MS20 Block 2 Upgrade
Follow DA

The Hungarian Government Commissioner Office responsible for defense development and the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) have successfully completed the negotiations for the MS20 Block 2 capability upgrade to the Hungarian fleet of Gripen fighter aircraft. 

Saab will deliver the MS20 Block 2 upgrade, which will greatly increase both Gripen’s combat and communication capabilities, as well as access to a wide range of weapons that can be integrated on Hungarian Air Force (HunAF) Gripen fighters. Sensor capability is being enhanced by a radar upgrade to the PS-05/A Mk 4 which means that the air-to-air target tracking range as well as the performance increases significantly. This allows better detection capability of small air-to-air targets, improved clutter suppression, and brings growth potential for further developments in the air-to-air and air-to-ground modes.

The MS20 Block 2 upgrade for HunAF Gripen fleet also enhances the communication capabilities by enhancing Link16 (NATO Data link) functionality and updated voice communication to the latest NATO secure communication standard. Capability to identify coalition aircrafts will be also improved by introducing the latest Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) NATO Mode 5.

This upgrade will allow Hungary to choose from a wider selection of weapons to fit to its Gripens: IRIS-T – infrared Within Visual Range (WVR) Air to Air missile, GBU-49 – modern Air to Ground laser guided bomb and Meteor – an advanced, long-range, radar-guided, BVRAAM that is superior to other missiles of its type.

“Thanks to the modernization of the Hungarian Gripen aircraft, the operational capabilities of the Hungarian Air Force will be significantly increased,” said Major General Nandor Kilian, HDF Air Force Inspector. “Our staff has appreciated a close and fruitful cooperation with the Swedish side on this specific modernization project as well as the cooperation during the 15 years that we have operated Gripen aircraft.”

“During this period of 15 years since the first Gripen landed at Kecskemet Air Base, it is clear that the Hungarian Air Force has taken the step to be one of the premiere air forces in Europe and is a real contributor to NATO and EU operations,” said Jonas Hjelm, head of Saab business area Aeronautics. “With these changes introduced by MS20 Block 2 upgrade, Hungary will get an even more efficient and powerful aircraft, capable of competing in every respect with any other next generation fighter aircraft.”

Posted by DA Staff Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

SmallSat & Space Access Summit 2025 to Convene Key Industry Experts

DSI has announced the 8th Annual SmallSat & Space Access Summit, taking place June 25–26, 2025, in National Harbor, MD, featuring discussions on small satellite technology and space access solutions

May 14, 2025
Textron Systems Advances Naval sUSV Capabilities with TSUNAMI Delivery

Textron Systems has delivered its first TSUNAMI autonomous surface vessel to NSWC Dahlgren, supporting research, testing, and development of future naval capabilities

May 14, 2025
Tactical Digital Communication Platform for Real-Time Battlefield Awareness

Savox has launched the Savox Bridge, a secure and reliable military communications system for challenging tactical environments

May 14, 2025
Enhancing Defense Operations with Efficient Collaborative Robots

Explore how Elite Robots, represented in the U.S. by KT Technical Solutions, is equipping defense operations with safe, flexible cobots that enhance efficiency, safety, and mission readiness.

May 14, 2025
Q&A: Sunhillo’s Advanced Surveillance Solutions Power U.S. Military Operations

In this Q&A, Sunhillo outlines how its surveillance technologies are enhancing U.S. military operations, with real-world deployment examples and innovations in cybersecurity and data integration

May 14, 2025
Next-Gen Group 2 UAS Enters Production with Extended Endurance & Upgrades

Aurora Flight Sciences upgrades the SKIRON-X Group 2 UAS with greater versatility and tactical mission endurance, as well as announcing the hydrogen-powered SKIRON-XLE variant

May 13, 2025

Featured Content

Discover ANELLO’s SiPhOG™ for GNSS-Denied Navigation at XPO25

CEO of ANELLO Photonics, Dr. Mario Paniccia, will present at Xponential 2025 on the company's SiPhOG-based inertial navigation technology in GPS-denied and GNSS-contested environments.

May 09, 2025
U.S. Army Partnership Advances Autonomous Helicopter Logistics Program

The U.S. Army is partnering with Honeywell and Near Earth Autonomy to retrofit Black Hawk helicopters with scalable autonomy kits for uncrewed logistics operations

May 08, 2025
Modular Head-Mounted Digital System for Real-Time Decision Support in Contested Environments

Galvion's new CORTEX™ system integrates compute, power, and data management into a modular helmet-mounted platform designed for modern tactical operations.

May 06, 2025
Advancing Defense Capability Through Strategic Collaboration Defense Advancement works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive defense capabilities forward.