The campaign evaluated multiple flight configurations, speeds and altitudes, confirming precise refuelling performance. Both aircraft’s fly-by-wire systems enabled smooth operation, with the KC-390 providing stable conditions and the Gripen E responding effectively in flight.
The tests aimed to qualify the Gripen E as a refuelling receiver and verify compatibility across the KC-390’s full flight envelope. Refuelling was tested under day and night conditions, advancing the operational interoperability of these latest-generation platforms.
“This achievement reflects the high level of integration between the teams involved. The verification of in-flight refuelling is a very significant technical milestone for our business, as it demonstrates that Gripen E has reached a new level of operational reach. The success of this campaign further reinforces the strategic partnership between Brazil and Sweden and Brazil’s role within the global Gripen programme ecosystem,” said Mikael Olsson, Head of Flight Testing at Saab.
Walter Pinto Júnior, Chief Operations Officer of Embraer Defense & Security, added: “This important milestone confirms the KC-390 unmatched qualities as a tanker and further strengthens our partnership with Saab and the Brazilian Air Force. Additionally, the unique multi-mission capability offered by the KC-390 which allows the airplane to be converted into a tanker in a matter of hours offers unbeatable flexibility to Air Forces worldwide.”
Colonel Aviator George Luiz Guedes de Oliveira of the FAB stated: “The verification of in-flight refuelling between the KC-390 and Gripen represents the success of a cooperation that goes beyond borders. It is the result of a joint effort combining Swedish technology, Brazilian engineering and the operational excellence of the Brazilian Air Force.”
The Swedish Military Aviation Authority (SE-MAA) will now review the test data for Gripen E’s air-to-air refuelling capability as part of its certification process. This will be followed by an additional certification by the FAB’s Industrial Promotion and Coordination Institute (IFI), ensuring compliance with international performance and safety standards.
Operation Samaúma, as named by the FAB, involved around 40 professionals and marked Brazil’s ability to develop, test and verify in-flight refuelling systems using its own national technology.
