The TAURUS cruise missile has been successfully integrated on the Swedish Gripen fighter jet. This was reported by MBDA Deutschland.
The integration was carried out by TAURUS Systems GmbH (TSG), a joint venture between Germany’s MBDA Deutschland and Sweden’s SAAB Dynamics. MBDA said the work was completed in record time.
At the same time, Defence Express notes that Sweden’s Ministry of Defence annual report states that the Taurus KEPD 350 was not planned to be integrated on the Gripen C/D before 2028. Newer Gripen aircraft in the E/F version were expected to receive TAURUS as part of the MS23 upgrade, which is due to be completed by 2032.
The TAURUS KEPD 350 is an air-launched cruise missile in the air-to-surface class, designed for high-precision strikes against hardened and high-value ground targets. Its stated range is more than 500 km, its weight is about 1.4 tonnes, and its length is about 5 metres. The missile has a two-stage MEPHISTO warhead weighing around 481 kg, intended, among other things, to defeat fortified and deeply buried targets. Flight speed is approximately Mach 0.6–0.95. Aircraft capable of carrying TAURUS include the Tornado, F-15K, EF-18, Eurofighter Typhoon and JAS 39 Gripen.
The JAS 39 Gripen is a Swedish multirole fighter developed by Saab. The aircraft can carry air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles as well as aerial bombs. The Gripen is designed to operate from short runways, as well as from temporary sites and roads, allowing air assets to be dispersed. In the Gripen C version, maximum speed reaches about Mach 2, maximum take-off weight is 14 tonnes, and the aircraft has eight hardpoints for weapons. The newer Gripen E/F received upgraded avionics, sensors and weapons systems.
MBDA’s statement does not specify which version of the Gripen the missile was integrated on. Ukraine is due to receive 16 Gripen C/D aircraft in early 2027 and 16 Gripen E from 2029. The question of supplying TAURUS missiles to Ukraine itself remains a political decision for Germany. It was also previously reported that the Gripen fighters to be transferred to Ukraine will have French Hammer guided bombs integrated.