On 6 October 2026, the first Gripen E fighter manufactured in Brazil successfully completed its maiden flight from Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto airfield in São Paulo State. Designated F-39E by Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB, the Brazilian Air Force), the aircraft is the first Gripen produced outside Sweden, marking another important milestone in the cooperation between Swedish company Saab and Brazilian aviation manufacturer Embraer.
This cooperation between Sweden and Brazil originated from the Brazilian government’s F-X2 programme, aimed at modernising the FAB’s fighter fleet. In 2013, Saab’s Gripen was selected as the winning aircraft, followed by a contract signed in October 2014 for the development and production of 36 fighters, comprising 28 single-seat Gripen E and eight two-seat Gripen F. The resulting Brazilian Gripen Programme, as referred to by the Swedish company, also includes extensive technology transfer and industrial cooperation, with more than 350 Brazilian specialists receiving training in aircraft development, production, testing and maintenance.
One of the major achievements of the programme was the inauguration of the Gripen final assembly line at Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto facility in May 2023. The site, which also houses aircraft development and flight-testing facilities, is home to South America’s only supersonic fighter production line and forms part of Saab’s global manufacturing and supply chain network. The first Brazilian-built Gripen E was officially presented on 25 March 2026 and is the first of 15 fighters scheduled to be manufactured in Brazil under the current programme.
According to Saab, the Gripen E took off at 10:21 local time on 6 October 2026, piloted by the company’s Chief Test Pilot, Jakob Högberg. The flight was conducted to verify the functionality of the fighter’s basic systems and assess its initial flight performance. Classified as the first production acceptance test, the flight also marks the beginning of the final phase of the Gripen manufacturing process at Embraer.
Embraer flight engineers were responsible for planning and executing the flight, with support from Saab specialists. Their involvement represents another milestone in the technology transfer programme and demonstrates the growing capabilities of the Brazilian aerospace industry in the testing and production of advanced combat aircraft.
Marcus Wandt, Head of Saab’s Business Area Aeronautics, said: “This maiden flight shows that Gripen production in Brazil has reached a new level of maturity. I am proud of our close cooperation with Embraer in the Gripen programme, which establishes a solid foundation for Gripen´s future development in Brazil.”
“This first flight of a Gripen E produced in Brazil by Embraer is a historic milestone for the country’s aerospace and defence industry. It confirms the success of a long-term strategy that combined the vision of the Brazilian Air Force, Saab’s technological expertise and Embraer’s engineering and industrial capabilities,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, President & CEO of Embraer Defense & Security.
Following the completion of its production acceptance flight campaign, the aeroplane will undergo certification before being prepared for delivery to the Brazilian Air Force. It will then be transferred to Anápolis Air Force Base in Goiás State, where it will join 1º Grupo de Defesa Aérea (1º GDA, the 1st Air Defence Group), which currently operates ten Gripen fighters.
The maiden flight of the Brazilian-built Gripen E follows another important milestone in the programme. On 28 August 2026, the first two-seat Gripen F, designated F-39F by the Brazilian Air Force, completed its inaugural flight from Saab’s airfield in Linköping, Sweden. You can read more about this event in one of our previous articles – Gripen F successfully completes its first flight.
Cover photo: First Gripen E manufactured in Brazil takes off for its maiden flight. Photo © Saab
The Saab and Embraer companies press materials were used.
