Embraer and Saab inaugurated today the Gripen E fighter production line in Brazil at the Embraer unit in Gavião Peixoto, in São Paulo. This is an important milestone in the technology transfer program and in the companies' commitment to working together on new business opportunities. The event was attended by the President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Minister of Defense, José Mucio Monteiro Filho, and the Air Force Commander, Lieutenant-Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, in addition to civil and military authorities. and representatives of different sectors of Brazilian society.

The inauguration of the final assembly line, which is the only Gripen E outside Sweden, marks the delivery of one of the most significant contributions to the fighter ecosystem in Brazil. With the Gripen Design and Development Network (GDDN), the Gripen Flight Test Center (GFTC), and now the assembly line, the Embraer factory in Gavião Peixoto it houses the development, production and testing stages of the aircraft.

Since the signing of the contract for the supply of 36 fighters, 28 Gripen E (single-seat version) and eight Gripen F to the Brazilian Air Force, in 2014, Embraer and Saab have been working together on the largest ongoing technology transfer project in the country . Recently, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the companies, the production line has also become an opportunity for new business.

“Today we celebrate not only the inauguration of the production line for the Gripen fighter, but the success of the collaboration between Saab and Embraer, which grows stronger every day with the common goal of serving our customer, the Brazilian Air Force. Since the beginning, Embraer has had a relevant role in the Gripen program, participating, for example, in the development of the Brazilian version of the two-seat aircraft. As a natural evolution of this relationship, we hope that soon we will be able to expand our business into new markets together”, said Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security.   

“The beginning of operations of the Gripen production line marks our commitment with the transfer of technology and knowledge to the Brazilian industry. Here, we will produce 15 of the 36 aircraft currently contracted by the Brazilian Air Force. The aim is also to produce here any future Gripen orders for Brazil, as well as for other countries. We want Brazil to become an export hub for Latin America and potentially for other regions,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.

“The start of production of the F-39 Gripen aircraft in Brazil symbolizes the completion of an ambitious project that translates into technology transfer, job creation and the consequent development of the aerospace sector in Brazil. Thanks to a solid partnership between the Air Force, Saab and Embraer, we are now among the select group of countries that have the capacity to build supersonic aircraft. Congratulations to everyone involved!”, said Air Force Commander, Lieutenant-Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno.

The production line at Embraer receives the aerostructures of the fighters produced at the Saab factory in Linköping, Sweden, and São Bernardo do Campo, in São Paulo. On the assembly line, the fighter plane will be produced by joining these aerostructures, installing wiring, equipping various systems, landing gear, avionics, tactical equipment, canopy, ejection seat and engine. Once the fighter assembly is completed, functional tests and production flights are conducted to prepare the aircraft for final delivery. The Embraer factory will be responsible for producing 15 Gripen E fighters. The units assembled in Brazil will be delivered from 2025.

In order to acquire the necessary skills for the production of supersonic fighter jets in Brazil, Embraer technicians underwent theoretical and practical training – the so-called on-the-job training – at Saab in Linköping. There, they worked side by side with Swedish employees to produce the aircraft that have already been shipped to Brazil.

Street: Embraer