Ukraine has ambitious plans to strengthen its Air Force with hundreds of new aircraft. This is a medium- and long-term prospect, with announced volumes of 150 Swedish JAS 39 Gripen E aircraft from Saab and/or 100 French Rafale aircraft from Dassault. Although no contracts for the supply of these aircraft to Ukraine have been signed yet, these are huge projects with many nuances, difficulties, and challenges.
A radical upgrade of the Ukrainian Air Force will require several different measures, from training pilots and technicians to developing infrastructure, including new shelters.
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Since the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there has been reason to discuss why Ukrainian Su-27s are parked outdoors rather than in shelters, especially after an enemy strike on the airfield near Myrhorod in Poltava Oblast. The answer to this question is quite simple: there are no shelters at this airbase capable of accommodating these aircraft.
A key question is whether existing Ukrainian airfield shelters, built in Soviet times, can accommodate certain Western aircraft.
The Gripen E is relatively compact compared to other aircraft. According to Saab's official website, this variant has a length of 15.2 m and a wingspan of 8.6 m. The height is not listed, though for the Gripen C it was just 4.5 m.
At the same time, the Rafale is a fairly large aircraft. According to Dassault, the aircraft measures 15.3 m in length, slightly longer than the Gripen, with a wingspan of 10.9 m and a height of 5.3 m.
Speaking of shelters, during the Soviet era the most common were 2A13-type arched shelters, measuring 12.9 m wide and 28 m long, which perfectly fit the Rafale.
At the same time, there is no information about the height of these shelters in open sources. Considering that they were built for the MiG-23, the Rafale will also fit in them (the height of the MiG-23ML with landing gear is 5.77 m).
However, the issue of building more new shelters at airfields is also relevant. It is worth mentioning Serbia as an example, which in 2024 confirmed the construction of new hangars for Rafale fighter jets, 12 of which the country ordered for its air force that August.
It should be noted that the construction of new hangars for Rafale will take several years. The overall cost is expected to exceed €17 million, starting with €2.7 million this year, €4.04 million in the following year, and €10.7 million in 2027.
Another example is Croatia, which spent €37 million on infrastructure development, including shelters, aircraft maintenance buildings, and Rafale simulator facilities.
Read more: What Rafale Can Do That Gripen Cannot and What the Swedish Fighter Can Do That the French Jet Can Only Dream Of
