In its earnings release this week, Saab said that Brazil has already started negotiations to buy another 26 Gripen E fighters, as stated by the Air Force Commander, Air Force Lieutenant Carlos de Almeida Baptista Jr., a few weeks ago.
According to the Chief Executive of Saab, Micael Johansson, during a teleconference with investors, discussions about a second batch have already started, and are ongoing.
The number is projected based on Planning Based on Capabilities (PBC), a study that defines the existing capabilities within the FAB and those that the institution aims to achieve.
In April, it was announced that the FAB acquired four other Gripens, bringing the number of aircraft purchased to 40. The Air Force Commander explained at the time that this action allows the FAB to start studies to deploy the Gripen in another air base, yet to be decided by the High Command of the institution.
The Brigadier also pointed out that 36 aircraft is a very large number for just one air base, but not enough for two. Thus, the acquisition of four more planes forming an initial batch of 40 fighters allows the deployment of Gripens in two air bases.
In all there will be 66 Gripen E fighters operating in Brazil in the future, Baptista Júnior hopes. The number is enough for the Swedish fighter, with several units produced in Brazil, to be the main air defense vector in Brazil.
Contract and receipt of the first Gripen fighters
The original contract covered the acquisition of 36 F-39E/F Gripen aircraft (formerly known as Gripen NG) manufactured by Saab in Sweden and by Embraer in Brazil, 28 of which were the one-seat F-39E version and eight of the F-two-seat version. seats (the latter acquired exclusively by the FAB).
Ten. Brig. baptist jr. already had previously spoken about the studies for a second batch of 30 fighters, reinforcing that only 36 aircraft are not enough.
The aircraft was selected in December 2013 during the government of then President Dilma Rousseff, having its first contract, valued at 39.882.335.471,65 Swedish Krona (R$ 20,101 billion at current quotations), signed in October 2014.
The first Brazilian Gripen, FAB 4100, was delivered to the Air Force in mid-2019. The aircraft was transferred to Brazil by sea aboard the ship MV Elke, arriving in the country in September 2020 after almost a month of navigation.
Since then, the fighter has been at the Gripen Flight Test Center (GFTC), at Embraer's facilities in Gavião Peixoto (SP). There the plane, an instrumented and pre-production model, is used in tests and evaluations related to the Gripen development program, together with Saab.
This work is part of the transfer of technology acquired by the Government from aircraft, in order to increase the capabilities of the country's defense and aeronautics industries.
incorporation ceremony
During the ceremony alluding to the 77th anniversary of Fighter Aviation Day, the two new FAB Saab Gripen E fighters, registrations 4101 and 4102, were officially incorporated into the institution.
These are the first series Gripens from the FAB and their baptism – with bottles of blue sparkling wine by the hands of Bolsonaro, Baptista Jr. and other authorities present – mark his entry into the Brazilian Fighter Aviation.
the aircraft arrived in the country in early April aboard the freighter Marsgracht and are undergoing the military certification stage at the GFTC, prior to their transfer to the Jaguar Squadron and eventual entry into operational service.
The expectation is that the Air Force will receive another two Gripens (4103 and 4104) still in this first semester and another two fighters in the second semester.
With information Flightglobal.
