Saab’s Gripen E fighter has made its debut appearance during an annual set of war games hosted by Brazil.
Described by Brasilia as the largest multinational operational war exercise in Latin America, the Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise (CRUZEX) 2024 drills running from 3-15 November around the coastal city of Natal involve more than 100 military aircraft from 16 countries.
Among those are Brazilian air force (FAB) F-39Es – the local designation for the Gripen E.
Although the new fighter has been flying with the Brazil’s 1st Air Defence Group (ADG) since late 2022, CRUZEX 2024 marks the first time a Gripen E has participated in multinational military exercises anywhere.
The two-week scenario will include over 1,500h of flying, executing a range of mission types, including ground attack, air superiority, escort and in-flight refuelling, according to the FAB.
The service’s F-39Es will fill the role of an adversary air force flying aggressor missions against CRUZEX participants, although training with those allies will be the priority for the 1st ADG’s Gripen Es, according to group commander Lieutenant Colonel Aviator Ramon Lincoln Santos Forneas.
“We will conduct offensive counter-air operations, in which the F-39E Gripen will protect friendly forces while they carry out actions within enemy territory, as well as air operations, and defensive counter-air operations aimed at defending against enemy attacks,” Santos Forneas says.
Saab describes the Gripen E as “the most advanced fighter in service in Latin America”, with the nearest competition likely to be Chile’s ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16s.
At least one F-39E sortie has already taken place, with Saab releasing photos on 5 November showing one of the single-engined jets in close formation with an American Boeing F-15E, a Chilean F-16C and a Brazilian AMX A-1AM ground-attack jet.
Aircraft from Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, and Uruguay are also participating.
The F-39E’s appearance at CRUZEX is a significant milestone for Saab, which has put a partnership with Brazil at the centre of its Gripen E/F programme.
Saab chief executive Micael Johansson on 5 November said the company is “delighted that this impressive inaugural event is hosted by our valued customer and partner, the Brazilian air force”.
Brazil was Saab’s first export customer for the newest Gripen model, with the FAB also being the first frontline operator of the jet, before even the Swedish air force in Saab’s home market.
“This is the first time in any fighter programme where the lead operator has not been the home nation,” a Saab executive told FlightGlobal at the Singapore air show in February.
Saab has also partnered with Brazilian airframer Embraer to assemble Gripen Es in Brazil at a facility in Gaviao Peixoto, Sao Paulo state.
The Embraer-run Gripen assembly site is configured for an annual production of eight aircraft. Saab has said it may consider investments to boost that capacity, if new orders materialise in South America.
Peru and Colombia are seen as possible targets for such a sale.
Saab currently has 60 firm Gripen E/F orders from Sweden and 36 from Brazil, although Saab believes Brasilia will likely expand its acquisition.
Work on Brazil’s order is being split between the Embraer facility in Gaviao Peixoto and Saab’s primary Gripen assembly site in Linkoping, marking the first instance of Gripen production outside of Sweden.
Thailand appears likely to become the third Gripen E/F customer, after the Royal Thai Air Force in August declared its preference for the Saab fighter over Lockheed’s latest F-16V to fill a 12-aircraft need.
That would mark the second time the Gripen E/F has beaten out an American-made fighter in a competitive acquisition process. In the Brazilian tender, Saab bested a dual offering from Boeing of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters and EA-18G electronic attack jets.
Saab has previously said it is in talks with Peru, Colombia, the Philippines and Austria to offer the latest Gripen model.
Ryan Finnerty is the Americas defence reporter for FlightGlobal.com and Flight International magazine, covering military aviation and the defence industry. He is a former United States Army officer and previously reported for America’s National Public Radio system in New York and Hawaii covering energy, economics and military affairs.View full Profile
