Saab signs $2.54 billion Gripen fighter jet deal with Ukraine

(In paragraph 3, specifies that deliveries of Gripen E aircraft to begin in 2029, Zelenskiy says Gripen C/D aircraft to be delivered in 2027)

June 30 (Reuters) - Swedish defence equipment maker Saab signed a contract on Tuesday to deliver 16 Gripen E fighter aircraft to Ukraine in a deal worth about 24.6 billion Swedish crowns ($2.54 billion).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the agreement reached with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson involved the purchase of 16 Gripen E aircraft and included technical support.

Saab said deliveries of the aircraft were scheduled for 2029-2030. In remarks on the Ukrainian presidential website, Zelenskiy said deliveries of Gripen C/D aircraft would begin early in 2027.

Zelenskiy said he had discussed implementation of the agreement and broader defence cooperation with Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson during a meeting in Kyiv on Tuesday, including drone and missile-defence projects.

The deal differed from plans outlined by Zelenskiy in May, when he said Ukraine would buy 20 Gripen E fighter jets and Sweden would provide a further 16 older-model Gripens to support Kyiv's war effort against Russia.

($1 = 9.6979 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Anna Peverieri in Barcelona, Additional reporting by Ronald Popeski, Editing by Nick Zieminski)