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 without injuries; 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 leases 14 Gripens from Sweden, twelve single-seat C and two twin-seat D airframes, flying them from Kecskemet and committing them regularly to NATO Baltic Air Policing and to Slovenian and Slovak airspace protection.