BOGOTA, Colombia

The Brazilian Air Force, together with Embraer and Saab, unveiled the first Gripen E fighter jet assembled on Brazilian soil, in a landmark moment for South American aerospace.

The rollout at Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto facility marks Brazil’s entry into a limited group of nations capable of producing advanced supersonic combat aircraft.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who attended the ceremony and witnessed the aircraft in flight, hailed the achievement as a triumph of national sovereignty.

“Today, the skies over Brazil are the setting for a historic moment,” said Lula. “I flew alongside the first Gripen produced in Brazil, a deeply symbolic moment that shows a country that believes in itself, invests in technology, and reaffirms its sovereignty.”

The unveiling is the centerpiece of a 2014 contract for 36 Gripen aircraft. While the initial units were manufactured in Sweden, the program was designed from the outset as a massive technology transfer initiative. Supported by an international supply chain, the production line in Brazil is now fully operational, with 14 additional fighters under the contract set to follow the domestic assembly model.

“The delivery of the first Gripen produced in Brazil symbolizes the strength of a partnership built on trust, long-term vision, and true cooperation,” said Micael Johansson, president and CEO of Saab. He underscored Saab’s commitment to consolidating Brazil as a regional export hub for the fighter jet.

The Gripen E is a highly sophisticated multi-role fighter engineered for air defense, reconnaissance and precision strike missions. It is characterized by state-of-the-art electronic warfare suites and advanced avionics that provide a significant tactical edge. The key to its design is a "sensor fusion" system that integrates data from onboard and external sources to grant pilots total battlefield awareness, alongside network-centric capabilities that allow for the sharing of real-time combat data with other friendly aircraft and ground stations.

The newly unveiled jet will undergo a rigorous testing phase before entering active service. It will join 10 previously delivered units currently operating out of the Anapolis Air Base.

The event was attended by Sweden’s Ambassador to Brazil Karin Wallensteen, Defense Minister José Mucio Monteiro Filho and Air Force Commander Lieut. Brig. Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno.

By mastering the assembly of the Gripen E, Embraer Defense & Security, led by President and CEO Bosco da Costa Junior, positions itself as a leader in high-tech defense manufacturing in the Southern Hemisphere.

The program is expected to generate thousands of highly skilled jobs and provide the Brazilian Air Force with one of the most technologically advanced air wings in the world.