A true collaboration. A long-term partnership.
The programme began in 2013, when Saab won the F-X2 competition after an extensive selection process. Gripen was selected as the best fighter to integrate Brazil's defence frontline, while benefiting the national industry with long-term expertise and technology.
In October 2014, the Brazilian government signed a contract with Saab for the development and production of 36 aircraft, including 28 Gripen E (single-seater) and 8 Gripen F (two-seater). These units are scheduled to be delivered by 2027. However, the partnership between Saab and Brazil is expected to be long-lived, thanks to an extensive Transfer of Technology (ToT) programme that enables Brazil to develop, produce, and maintain supersonic fighter jets in the country for the next 30 to 40 years.
The 39.3 billion SEK contract includes aircraft, logistical support, support systems and related equipment, training, weapons, and an industrial cooperation agreement.
As part of the ToT programme, Brazilian industry, particularly Embraer, plays an important role in the development, flight testing, and production of the aircraft. Embraer has become a strategic partner in the Gripen Programme, and the plant in Gavião Peixoto has been equipped with vital Gripen infrastructure, including the Gripen Design and Development Centre (GDDN), the Gripen Flight Test Centre (GFTC), and the aircraft production line.
In addition to the Brazilian industry's involvement, Saab has invested in its own plant in São Bernardo do Campo. The Gripen aerostructure factory was inaugurated in 2018 and is responsible for producing the tail cone, aerodynamic brakes, rear fuselage, and forward fuselage for the Gripen E.
Thanks to the extensive Technology Transfer Programme, together with Embraer, Akaer, AEL Sistemas, and Saab's subsidiaries in the country, Brazil has become a key player in the development of a fighter aircraft that meets the needs of present and future threats of the 21st-century combat scenario.