General

Swedish Gripen fighter jets join Brazil Air Force

The contract had been signed eight years ago

Karine Melo

Published on 20/12/2022 - 13:01

Brasília

F-39 Gripen/Musal — © Paulo Rezende/Força Aerea Brasileira

The Brazilian Air Force has incorporated the first F-39 Gripen fighter jets into its fleet. A ceremony was held Monday (Dec. 19) at the Anápolis air base, in Goiás state, with two demonstration flights.

The aircraft were added to the First Air Defense Group, first active in the 1970s, with French-made Mirage III jets, now out of use.

The move comes eight years after the Air Force signed a contract with Saab. The main mission for the Brazilian fighter jets will be as air interceptors, with other capabilities—including ground attack and electronic warfare—added piecemeal. This is the first of a total 36 aircraft that are 4.5 meters high, 14 meters long, and can reach a speed of 2,400 km/h.

The BRL-20-billion import deal was the largest with the Scandinavian country. The Air Force had sent a number of agents—among them pilots, technicians and engineers—to Sweden, where they began the instruction phase for various aspects of the fighter jet, from piloting to project and production.