Hungarian Air Force Gripen Jet Crashes Near Szolnok, Pilot Ejects Safely

A Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighter jet crashed near the city of Szolnok on Monday, with the pilot ejecting safely and no injuries reported on the ground or damage to civilian property, Prime Minister Magyar confirmed.

The aircraft went down for reasons that remain unknown, according to statements from Hungarian officials. The pilot ejected before impact and survived the incident. Authorities have not yet released details about the cause of the crash, though local media have reported unconfirmed accounts of a possible hydraulic or landing-gear malfunction.

"For reasons that are currently unknown, one of the Hungarian Defence Forces' Gripen fighter jets crashed near Szolnok a few minutes ago," Magyar wrote in a Facebook post, adding that the pilot had ejected successfully and that an investigation was already under way.

What we know about the crash

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a Swedish-built multirole fighter jet that forms the backbone of Hungary's air defense fleet.

Defense Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said the pilot was alive and had not sustained any injuries, adding that the pilot appeared to have done everything possible to bring the aircraft down over military property before ejecting. The pilot was taken to hospital by ambulance for observation and was reported to be in stable condition. Ruszin-Szendi and the chief of staff of the Hungarian defense forces traveled to the crash site to oversee the response.

Emergency services responded to the scene near the military helicopter base outside Szolnok, roughly 100 kilometers southeast of Budapest, and firefighters extinguished a fire at the site. The aircraft was reportedly carrying weapons, including missiles and cannon ammunition, at the time of the crash, according to the defense minister.

Hungary's Gripen fleet

Hungary's Gripen jets serve as the country's primary combat aircraft and participate in NATO air policing missions across the region, including patrols over the Baltic states. The fleet is based at Kecskemét Air Base in central Hungary, home to the country's main tactical air wing.

Hungary acquired the Gripen to modernize its air force and meet alliance interoperability standards, first leasing 14 aircraft under an agreement with Sweden signed in 2001. The fleet was expanded this year when four additional Gripen Cs, ordered in 2024, were delivered – two in April and two more on June 23 – bringing Hungary's total inventory to 18 aircraft. Monday's crash reduces the fleet to 17.

Crashes involving Gripen aircraft have been relatively rare globally, though incidents have occurred among various operators, including Sweden and the Czech Republic, which also leases Gripens. Hungary itself has experienced Gripen accidents before: in 2015, a pilot ejected safely after an unsuccessful landing attempt at Kecskemét following a landing-gear malfunction, and in the same year a Hungarian Gripen skidded off a runway during an exercise at a Czech air base, though both pilots involved in that incident were unharmed.

Investigation underway

Hungarian military authorities have launched a formal investigation to determine what caused Monday's crash. Saab, the aircraft's manufacturer, confirmed it was aware of the accident. "We have received information that a Gripen plane was involved in an accident. But we currently have no further information about what happened," said Saab press manager Mattias Rådström, referring further questions to Hungarian authorities.

What happens next

Officials are expected to provide further updates as the investigation continues, including examination of the aircraft's flight data and the circumstances surrounding the malfunction. As is standard practice, Hungarian authorities are expected to share relevant findings with Saab and Swedish defense officials, given the ongoing lease arrangement between the two countries.

For now, officials have confirmed only that the pilot is safe, that no one else was harmed, and that the cause of the crash remains under investigation.