Saab has announced the formal unveiling of the initial Gripen E combat jet manufactured within Brazil, signifying a pivotal achievement in the nation’s capability to produce sophisticated military aircraft.
The debut event transpired on March 25th at Embraer’s plant in Gavião Peixoto, attended by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, high-ranking defense personnel, and prominent business figures. This jet forms a component of an extensive initiative to supply 36 Gripen warplanes to the Brazilian Air Force, pursuant to an agreement inked in 2014.
This initiative is being executed via a collaboration between Saab and Embraer, with its manufacture encompassing both local and global procurement networks. Saab stated this advancement mirrors a sustained endeavor to foster national industrial and technological prowess within Brazil.
“The handover of the initial Gripen manufactured in Brazil signifies considerably more than the assembly of an aircraft; it exemplifies the robustness of an alliance founded on confidence, strategic foresight, and genuine collaboration,” affirmed Saab CEO Micael Johansson.
Bosco da Costa Junior, President of Embraer Defence & Security, stated the undertaking aids the enhancement of domestic proficiency, and furthermore remarked: “The revelation of the initial Gripen manufactured in Brazil constitutes an additional major landmark in the strategic alliance binding Brazil and Sweden.”
The jet will subsequently undergo terrestrial and aerial evaluations prior to its operational deployment. It is anticipated to integrate into the Brazilian Air Force’s premier Air Defense Squadron at the Anápolis Airbase, where fellow Gripen jets are already deployed, including for rapid response missions.