Does Bulgaria know that those Swedish jets will simply “refuse to engage” in a combat situation/
It’s a great plane; but at nearly $100 million each (price likely includes some maintenance, training, etc.)
Eight planes?
Maybe the article is wrong.
But as Stalin said, quantity has a quality all it own.
Better old Israeli Kfirs (at $20 million apiece) with modern electronics. Eight would cost only $160 million. Eight hundred million would get you forty planes (if that many still exist).
My understanding is that the Gripen suffers from a severe lack of combat radius and endurance.
It may not be a big consideration for the mission in Bulgaria.