[…] Swedish Air Force Gripens supported an unspecified number of these sorties, with F 21 based at Luleå sending 120 personnel to support six jets for Sweden’s first ever Baltic Air Policing mission. Speaking when the deployment was announced, Colonel Jörgen Axelsson, the Swedish Air Force’s Chief of Operations, commented: “By contributing to NATO’s deterrence and defence, our Air Force enhances Swedish and NATO’s security. This is an important step in our interoperability and another step for the Swedish Air Force to become fully integrated into NATO’s Air Defence”.
The Gripens were armed while taking part in the photo sorties, offering a look at the aircraft’s loadout for the mission. Each aircraft carries an IRIS-T infrared guided air to air missile on the wingtip hardpoints, with longer range Meteor radar guided missiles on wing pylons. RAF Typhoons would likely also carry the Meteor, though use the AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile (ASRAAM) for closer engagements.
Some Gripens are carrying a LITENING targeting pod. While most commonly associated with air to ground mission sets, reconnaissance and targeting pods have become common to see on air policing aircraft as they allow for long range identification and tracking of target aircraft. Läs artikel