Hungarian Air Force Gripen C Crash

A Hungarian Air Force JAS 39C Gripen came down near Szolnok in central Hungary on the morning of 24 August 2026. The pilot ejected and was taken to hospital by ambulance; officials said he held the aircraft over military ground, and no civilian property was damaged. The Defence Minister travelled to the site and an investigation was opened the same day, with no cause established. Hungary had completed deliveries of four new Gripen C in June 2026, bringing its fleet to 16 single-seat C and two two-seat D aircraft flown from Kecskemet, regularly committed to NATO Baltic Air Policing and to Slovenian and Slovak airspace protection.