Brazil orders 26 aircraft for second batch of Gripen fighters and halts A-Darter missile development

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Infodefensa newspaper traveled to Brasilia to attend an event hosted by the Brazilian Air Force Command (FAB), where the head of the institution, Brigadier Lieutenant Carlos Almeida Baptista Jr., gave a detailed overview of the armed forces and reported that the second batch of Gripen aircraft Brazil will order from Saab would include 26 units, bringing the country’s fleet of this type of fighter to a total of 66 aircraft.

Completing this second batch, Baptista Jr. said, is the top priority of his mandate.

The aircraft, which were initially to be manufactured partly in Sweden and partly in Brazil, will now be produced in Linkoping, reducing the development and production risks for these aircraft.

This industrial change should not affect technology transfer and the production of aerostructures and components at Saab Aeroestruturas e Montagens, a plant in São Bernardo do Campo (SP).

A-DARTER MISSILE

Another confirmation is that the A-Darter missile will not enter the final industrialization phase due to the South African economic crisis, which has hit South African defense companies hard, including Denel, the company contracted to develop this advanced fifth-generation air-to-air missile in collaboration with Brazilian companies.

Without the investment from its South African partner, the Brazilian Air Force lacked the resources and time to carry out the industrialization itself.

Mectron, the Brazilian company responsible for the Brazilian part of the development, went bankrupt a few years ago, only complicating the situation.

This allowed German supplier Diehl Defence to deliver its 5th generation Iris-T missile with active-matrix technology and thrust vectoring within the deadlines set by the FAB. Both Meteor and Iris-T are already integrated missiles in Gripen.

All data generated during the development of the A-Darter and all documents required for its industrialization were officially transferred from South Africa to the Brazilian Air Force in 2019.

Baptista Jr. also confirmed that Brazil has BVR MBDA Meteor missiles ready for use on aircraft already delivered and equipment for training and lifecycle support for this high-tech military material.

KC-30/AIRBUS A330 MRTT

The first issue presented by the Air Force Commander, the purchase of the KC-30 aircraft, the local designation of the Airbus A330 MRTT, is in the phase of delivery of the first aircraft within the 90 days agreed with the company won the tender, Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras.

The aircraft will undergo a comprehensive Check-C (complete overhaul) in Jordan. They will not necessarily or only be painted in that country, which the airline has chosen to meet the time required by the contract. The aircraft may even be painted in another country.

The aircraft is expected to return to Brazil in July, where it will be received and officially presented at Galeão Air Force Base.

In parallel with this planning, the Air Force already has a team in Spain, in Getafe, discussing the values and conditions of the contract with Airbus Defence and Space.

In the second half of 2022, the conversion process will begin in Getafe, Spain. The FAB’s KC-30 will receive all the aerial refueling equipment, associated systems, and modifications for the MRTT (Multi-Role Transporter and Tanker) version.

Once this work is completed, the aircraft will return to Brazil in mid-2024, where the pilots, crew, mechanics, technicians, and ground crew will complete their training and qualification on the plane.

The contract with Airbus includes a two-year Contracted Logistics Support (CLS) that can be extended for another five years, ensuring a safe entry into service with high operational availability. The purchase and conversion of the two KC-30s, personnel training, and support have been budgeted at R$500 million (US$103.7 million).

With information from Infodefensa