The New Brazilian Air Force Fighter, F-39E Gripen, Has Started Supersonic Flight Testing in Brazil

The New Fighter Jet of the Brazilian Air Force Will Perform Supersonic Flights Over the Next Few Months. Flying Faster Than the Speed of Sound Creates a Different Sound Wave, a Sonic Boom That May Seem More Like Thunder Than an Aircraft Passing

Saab confirmed today (3) that the new fighter jet of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), F-39 E Gripen, has begun the supersonic flight testing phase in Brazil. The tests with the aircraft are being conducted at Embraer’s facility in Gavião Peixoto (SP), where the Gripen Flight Test Center (GFTC) is located. Looking for a job? Job openings in RJ for civil and industrial construction works at Companhia Brasileira de Serviços de Infraestrutura – CBSI

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The supersonic flights conducted by Saab are carried out in predetermined testing areas northwest of the GFTC and at high altitudes, above 5,000 meters.

The Swedish company states that the supersonic tests of the new fighter jet of the Brazilian Air Force “are essential to test the aircraft’s performance and functions” and to continue the certification and acceptance procedures for the new FAB fighter, which expects to receive the first operational units by the end of this year – the first Gripen that arrived in Brazil in September 2020 is a specific model for flight testing and certification.

“The Gripen will perform supersonic flights over the next few months. Flying faster than the speed of sound creates a different sound wave, a sonic boom, that may seem more like thunder than an aircraft passing. It is possible that residents in the area will hear this noise during the tests with the new Brazilian fighter. We take care to ensure that these supersonic flights are conducted in designated testing areas, in coordination with aviation authorities according to Brazilian Air Force procedures,” explains Sven Larsson, director of the GFTC.

In Sweden, which also ordered the new fighter for its air force, the Gripen E began supersonic flight testing in October 2017. The aircraft is designed to fly at Mach 2 (about 2,470 km/h).

Testing the New Fighter Jet of the Brazilian Air Force in Supersonic Flight in Brazil Aims to Test the Aircraft in Tropical Climate

The activities in Brazil include flight control system testing and climate systems. It also aims to test the aircraft in tropical climate. Unique features of Brazilian aircraft, such as weapon integration and the Link BR2 communication system – which provides encrypted data and voice communication between aircraft – will also be tested in Brazil.

The partnership with Brazil began in 2014, with a contract for the development and production of 36 Saab Gripen E/F aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force, including systems, support, and equipment. A comprehensive technology transfer program, which is being executed over a ten-year period, is driving the development of the local aerospace industry through partner companies participating in the Brazilian Gripen program.