At the Saab Aerospace factory in Linköping, Sweden a ceremony was held to celebrate the first Hungarian Gripen fighter to roll off the production line. Another five Gripen aircraft will be on the production line in 2005 and be completed in 2006.

The first aircraft will enter a period of ground and flight testing by Swedish Gripen pilots before being delivered to the Hungarian Air Force in March 2006.

Hungary signed a lease-and-purchase contract in February 2003 for twelve single-seat and two twin-seat Gripen aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered in 2006 and 2007. The lease is for a 10 year period following which the aircraft become the property of Hungary.

On 21 January 2005 the first group of five Hungarian pilots arrived in Sweden for conversion training with the Swedish Air Force Gripen training center, the F7 wing at Satenas.They will be trained as instructor pilots on the Gripen. The first group of 19 Hungarian technicians will start their training in April 2005 at the Swedish Air Force's technical school.

Headlines

Final Three Gripen Fighters Delivered to Hungary (13 Dec 2007)
Swedish Air Force Gripen Upgrade Contract Finalized (17 Oct 2007)
Swedish Air Force Gripen Gets Cobra Helmet-Mounted Display (03 Oct 2007)
Two More Hungarian Gripen Fighters Delivered (13 Aug 2007)
SAAB Selected GE F414G Engine for New Gripen Variant (02 Jul 2007)
Second Meteor missile firings with Gripen completed (21 Jun 2006)
First Five Gripen Fighters have arrived in Hungary (22 Mar 2006)
Maiden Flight First South African Gripen (11 Nov 2005)
First South African Gripen Roll-out (29 Oct 2005)
First Flight Dual Seat Hungarian Gripen (28 Oct 2005)
Final Czech Gripens Delivered (31 Aug 2005)
First Flight Czech Two-seat Gripen (21 Apr 2005)
First Six Gripen Arrive in Czech Republic (18 Apr 2005)
Hungarian Saab Gripen First Flight (20 Feb 2005)
First Hungarian Gripen Ready (25 Jan 2005)
Celebration of the First Czech Republic Gripen aircraft (15 Dec 2004)
Maiden Flight of First Czech Gripen (18 Oct 2004)