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Industrial framework repositions Brazil among countries with capacity to produce supersonic fighters and expands technological and strategic protagonism in the global aerospace defense sector.
Presented on March 25, 2026, the first supersonic fighter assembled in the country, the F-39E Gripen, came off the line in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo, as a direct result of the partnership between Embraer, Saab, and the Brazilian Air Force.
With the symbolic delivery, Brazil became the first country in Latin America to assemble combat aircraft of this category, consolidating its presence in a restricted group of countries with industrial and technological dominance applied to high-performance military aviation.
According to Revista Fapesp, in this context, the public display of the jet marks the transition to a more advanced stage of the modernization program for fighter aviation, structured from the agreement made in 2014 between the Air Force Command and the Swedish manufacturer.
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Envisioning the production of 36 Gripen NG fighters, including 28 single-seat and eight twin-seat, the contract also included associated systems and logistical support, with an official value of 39.3 billion Swedish crowns, equivalent to about US$ 4 billion to US$ 5.4 billion depending on the exchange rate used.
National production and technology transfer
Within this arrangement, 15 aircraft will be assembled in Brazilian territory, at the Embraer plant, which enables the absorption of strategic knowledge and consolidates an industrial base with the capacity for integration, manufacturing, and maintenance of complex systems throughout the fighter’s life cycle.
According to Saab, the program established one of the largest technological cooperation processes ever conducted in the national defense sector, involving technical training, mastery of industrial processes, and active participation in the development of critical components.
More than just simple assembly, the initiative repositions the Brazilian industry in the global aerospace defense chain, increasing the participation of local companies and creating conditions for insertion into more complex international projects.
According to the FAB, the FX-2 program includes 63 offset projects, which resulted in the training of approximately 350 Brazilian engineers in Sweden and the generation of more than 2,000 direct jobs, in addition to indirect impacts distributed throughout the production chain.
In practice, the technology transfer materialized in the involvement of national companies in relevant stages of the project, including the development of embedded systems, aeronautical structures, and operational simulation solutions integrated with the Gripen.
In this scenario, AEL Sistemas developed advanced cockpit displays and the pilot’s helmet-mounted display, while Akaer participated in the structural engineering of parts of the fuselage and wings, increasing the industrial complexity absorbed locally.
Furthermore, Saab Aeronáutica Montagens began producing aerostructures in the country, while Atech took responsibility for flight simulators and mission planning systems, consolidating a distributed technological ecosystem.
During the presentation, the president of Embraer Defense & Security, Bosco da Costa Junior, highlighted that the country has gained the capacity to produce high-tech supersonic aircraft capable of carrying out critical defense and territory protection missions.
For his part, Saab’s CEO, Micael Johansson, emphasized that local production strengthens the Brazilian industrial base and expands export potential, indicating that the unit established in the country could meet international demands in the future.
Performance of the Gripen and Operational Capacity
From an operational standpoint, the F-39E positions itself as a next-generation multirole fighter, prepared to execute air-to-air combat, ground attack, interception, and reconnaissance missions with a high level of sensor and system integration.
Among its features, it boasts a maximum speed of 2,470 km/h, a range of up to 4,000 kilometers without munitions, and the capability for in-flight refueling, factors that significantly enhance its strategic autonomy.
Additionally, the aircraft has ten external points for armaments and sensors, an AESA radar, and an open architecture that allows integration of different systems, facilitating technological updates throughout its operational life.
By November 2025, 11 units had been delivered to the FAB, all produced in Sweden and destined for the Anápolis Air Base, which established the initial phase of operation before the transition to local assembly.
With the presentation of the first unit produced in Brazil, the program advances to a stage of greater industrial autonomy, even though it has faced budgetary limitations and adjustments over the past decade.
Among these changes, the decision to transfer the production of the two-seat version F-39F to Sweden stands out, originally planned to be developed in Brazil, reflecting direct impacts of financial restrictions on the project timeline.
Strategic impact and international projection
At the same time, the program has gained relevance beyond the operational scope of the FAB, being considered a vector for strengthening the national industry and for Brazil’s insertion into global defense chains.
In this sense, Saab has begun to treat the line installed in the country as a possible export base, especially in light of commercial opportunities in South America and other emerging markets.
Another point highlighted by the manufacturer is that this is the first time, since 1937, that a Saab fighter is produced outside Sweden, evidencing the level of trust and integration achieved with the Brazilian partner.
Thus, the program combines the renewal of the operational capacity of the Air Force with the development of advanced industrial competencies, creating a technological base that is likely to influence future strategic projects in the Brazilian military aviation sector.
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