A Saab test pilot conducted the flight, with Embraer playing a central role in its planning and execution. The companies said the aircraft performed as expected and generated data for the continuing production flight-test and acceptance campaign.
The fighter is the first of 15 aircraft planned for production in Brazil under the current programme and was unveiled on 25 March after final assembly. Gavião Peixoto hosts the only Gripen production line outside Sweden and forms part of Saab’s global manufacturing and supply network.
“This first flight of a Gripen E produced in Brazil by Embraer is a historic milestone for the country’s aerospace and defense industry,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “It confirms the success of a long-term strategy that combined the vision of the Brazilian Air Force, Saab’s technological expertise and Embraer’s engineering and industrial capabilities.”
“This maiden flight shows that Gripen production in Brazil has reached a new level of maturity,” said Marcus Wandt, head of Saab’s Business Area Aeronautics. “I am proud of our close cooperation with Embraer in the Gripen Program, which establish a solid foundation for Gripen’s future development in Brazil.”
Once the flight-test and acceptance campaign is complete, the aircraft will be prepared for delivery to the Brazilian Air Force. It will then be transferred to Anápolis Air Base in Goiás State, where it will join the First Air Defense Group, which already operates the Gripen E.
Further production under discussion
Brazil’s 2014 contract covers the development and production of 36 fighters, comprising 28 single-seat Gripen E aircraft and eight two-seat Gripen F aircraft. Deliveries began in 2020, with ten aircraft delivered to the Brazilian Air Force to date.
The programme combines technology transfer with local industrial participation, involving Brazilian engineers, technicians and specialists working alongside Saab teams. Their work spans development, engineering, manufacturing, integration and flight testing, building permanent industrial capabilities in Brazil.
On 21 July, Embraer and Saab announced a Heads of Agreement establishing a framework for broader cooperation and negotiations towards new contracts. It envisages the potential assembly of 20 additional Gripen aircraft at Gavião Peixoto for domestic and international opportunities, with scope for further expansion.
The proposed production would complement Saab’s final assembly line in Linköping, Sweden, helping the companies respond to growing global demand. The additional aircraft remain subject to negotiations towards new contracts.
