Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer said Wednesday it has unveiled the first Gripen E supersonic fighter aircraft produced in Brazil, marking a milestone in a long-running defense partnership with Sweden’s Saab and the Brazilian Air Force.

The aircraft was officially presented during a ceremony at Embraer’s industrial complex in Gavião Peixoto, in São Paulo state, attended by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, senior government officials, military leaders, and executives from the companies involved in the program.

According to Embraer, the rollout highlights Brazil’s growing capability to manufacture advanced military aircraft domestically and places the country among a limited number of nations able to produce modern supersonic fighters. The jet is part of a broader program launched under a 2014 agreement between Brazil and Sweden to develop and deliver 36 Gripen fighters to the Brazilian Air Force.

“We take great pride in supporting the Brazilian Air Force in this project and in developing, within Brazil, the capability to produce a high-tech supersonic fighter aircraft,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, president and chief executive of Embraer Defense & Security, during the event. He said the milestone reflects deepening industrial cooperation between the two countries and could create future business opportunities.

Saab chief executive Micael Johansson said the delivery of the first aircraft assembled in Brazil “symbolizes the strength of a partnership built on trust, long-term vision, and true cooperation,” adding that the company intends to expand its industrial and technological presence in the country.

Embraer said the Gavião Peixoto facility now produces Gripen E jets using a supply chain that includes Brazilian and international partners, with aerostructures also manufactured at Saab’s site in São Bernardo do Campo. Fourteen additional aircraft under the current contract will be built following the same production model.

Before entering operational service, the newly unveiled aircraft will undergo functional and production flight tests. Once completed, it is expected to join other Gripen units already delivered to the Brazilian Air Force’s First Defense Group at Anápolis Air Force Base.

The Gripen E is designed for multiple roles including air defense, reconnaissance and strike missions. Embraer said the aircraft integrates modern avionics, sensors and network-centric systems intended to improve situational awareness and coordination during complex operations.

Under the agreement with the Brazilian government, the program includes 28 single-seat Gripen E fighters and eight two-seat Gripen F variants. Deliveries began in 2020, and 10 aircraft have been handed over so far. The aircraft has also been used in quick reaction alert missions from Anápolis to protect airspace over Brazil’s federal government district.

For Embraer, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of aircraft with up to 150 seats, the program represents an expansion of its defense and security portfolio alongside its commercial and executive aviation businesses. The company says it has delivered more than 9,000 aircraft globally since its founding in 1969.

Source: Press Release