Saab-Embraer Program Marks Milestone in Brazilian Aerospace Development

Brazil has unveiled the first Gripen E fighter assembled on its own soil, a milestone for the Saab-Embraer program and a visible step forward in the country’s push to build advanced combat aircraft locally. The aircraft was officially presented on March 25, 2026, during a ceremony at Embraer’s industrial complex in Gavião Peixoto, in São Paulo state. The event brought together Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Swedish Ambassador Karin Wallensten, Saab CEO Micael Johansson, Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto, and Embraer Defense & Security CEO Bosco da Costa Junior. According to Saab and Embraer, the rollout marks the first time a Gripen fighter has been produced outside Sweden and makes Brazil one of a small number of countries capable of producing supersonic fighter aircraft domestically. The partnership between Saab and Embraer has enabled the successful completion of the project, with Saab providing the aircraft’s aerodynamics and avionics, while Embraer handled the final assembly and integration of the aircraft’s systems. The Brazilian Air Force has taken delivery of 36 Gripen fighters, including 28 single-seat Gripen E jets and eight twin-seat Gripen F aircraft, with deliveries beginning in 2020. The program is now moving forward on both the industrial and operational fronts, with the Gripen E having begun flying Quick Reaction Alert missions from Anápolis Air Base since February 2026. The aircraft will undergo functional checks and production flight testing before joining the fleet already operated by the Brazilian Air Force’s 1st Air Defense Group at Anápolis Air Base.