São Paulo, Brazil — The first Saab Gripen E fighter produced in Brazil has completed its maiden flight, marking the first time a Gripen aircraft manufactured outside Sweden has taken to the air.
The aircraft flew from Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto facility in São Paulo State on October 6 at 10:21 a.m. local time. It is the first of 15 Gripen E fighters scheduled to be produced in Brazil under the current programme.
First Flight and Testing
The aircraft, designated F-39E by the Brazilian Air Force and identified as FAB 4109, was flown by Saab chief test pilot Jakob Högberg.
The maiden flight was conducted to verify the aircraft’s basic system functions and assess its initial flight performance. Saab classified the sortie as the aircraft’s first production acceptance test, beginning the final stage of the manufacturing and acceptance process in Brazil.
Embraer flight engineers were responsible for planning and executing the flight, with support from Saab. The flight will provide data for the continuation of production flight testing and the acceptance campaign before the aircraft is delivered to the Brazilian Air Force.
Technology Transfer and Local Production
The aircraft is the result of the long-term cooperation between Sweden’s Saab and Brazil’s Embraer, with technology transfer forming a major part of the Gripen programme in Brazil.
Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto facility became the first final assembly line for the Gripen outside Sweden. The production line was inaugurated in May 2023 and uses Brazilian and international industrial suppliers. Saab’s Brazilian facility in São Bernardo do Campo supplies several aerostructures for the aircraft, which are then integrated at Gavião Peixoto.
Saab said the maiden flight demonstrates the maturity reached by Gripen production in Brazil. Marcus Wandt, head of Saab’s Aeronautics business area, also highlighted the cooperation between Saab and Embraer and its importance for the future development of Gripen production in Brazil.
Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, described the flight as an important milestone for Brazil’s aerospace and defense industry. He said the programme combines the Brazilian Air Force’s requirements, Saab’s technological expertise and Embraer’s engineering and industrial capabilities.
Brazil’s Gripen Programme
Brazil’s Gripen programme is based on a 2014 contract for 36 aircraft, comprising 28 single-seat Gripen E fighters and eight two-seat Gripen F aircraft. Deliveries began in 2020.
The first Brazilian-produced Gripen E was officially presented by Saab, Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force on March 25, 2026, at Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto facility. The remaining aircraft planned for Brazilian production will follow the same production model.
The Gavião Peixoto facility carries out final assembly and supports functional testing and production flight tests before the aircraft is delivered to the Brazilian Air Force. The facility is also part of Saab’s wider global Gripen production and supply network.
Delivery to the Brazilian Air Force
Following the production acceptance flight campaign, FAB 4109 will undergo certification and preparation for delivery to the Brazilian Air Force.
After completing this process, the aircraft is scheduled to transfer to Anápolis Air Force Base in Goiás State, where it will join the First Air Defence Group (1st GDA). The unit currently operates 10 Gripen fighters, according to Saab.
The maiden flight therefore marks the transition of the first Brazilian-built Gripen E from production into its formal flight-test and acceptance phase, ahead of its planned integration into the Brazilian Air Force fleet.
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