Brazilian Air Force unveils first domestically produced Gripen E fighter aircraft
A Gripen E in operation, armed with MBDA Meteor and IRIS-T (infrared imaging system tail/thrust vector-controlled) air-to-air missiles. (Saab)
The first Gripen E supersonic fighter aircraft produced in Brazil was unveiled in a ceremony hosted by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), Saab, and Embraer. The 25 March ceremony was held in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo state, at Embraer's industrial complex.
The manufacturing of the Gripen E in-country is the result of a burgeoning partnership between Brazil and Sweden, with Embraer using its Gavião Peixoto industrial complex and Saab its facility in São Bernardo do Campo to produce the aircraft.
The domestic manufacture of the Gripen E aligns with a 2014 contract with the Brazilian government to develop and produce 36 Gripen fighters – 28 single-seat Gripen Es and eight two-seat Gripen Fs; 11 have been delivered to date since deliveries began in 2020.
Micael Johansson, president and CEO of Saab, said the delivery of the first Gripen produced in the country “symbolises the strength of a partnership built on trust, long-term vision, and true co-operation” and the company plans on deepening its presence in Brazil and making the country an export hub for the rest of the world.
Fourteen more aircraft are under contract with the FAB to be manufactured along the same supply chain.
The completed Gripen E will undergo functional testing and production flight tests before joining 10 units already in use by the First Defense Group (1st GDA) at the Anápolis Air Force Base that participate in Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) missions.
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