Two more Saab F-39E Gripen fighters, destined for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) fleet, arrived in Brazil on September 25.
The aircraft with registration numbers FAB 4103 and FAB 4104, manufactured in Sweden, is part of Brazil’s first batch of 36 aircraft.
These two units are in addition to the prototype that arrived in the country in 2020, which is currently at Embraer’s facilities for testing and improvements, and two other aircraft that arrived in Brazil last April.
In addition, two more fighters are scheduled to arrive before the end of the year.
The Saab-built fighters were transported from Sweden by the Dutch ship Minervagracht, which entered the port of Itajái on Saturday night.
On Sunday, during the day, the aircraft were removed from the ship, and the landing gear wheels were reinstalled for transfer by land.
The transfer from the port to the airport took place early this morning to not disrupt local traffic.
After preparation at the airport, including reassembly, static testing, and a taxiway run, the two aircraft are due to take off and fly to Gavião Peixoto, home of Embraer Defesa e Segurança and the Gripen Flight and Test Center (GFTC) operated by Saab do Brasil.
The F-39E Gripen fighters are expected to operate for the first time at the Anápolis Air Base between November and December 2022.
US$4.5 BILLION CONTRACT
In 2014, Brazil ordered 36 fighters at the cost of US$4.5 billion, which provide for technology transfer, and the construction of part of the units in the batch will be carried out on Brazilian territory.
An additional purchase of four fighters for the first batch was already confirmed in April this year, and the second batch of 26 fighters is being negotiated.
With information from InfoDefensa