Embraer, Saab and the Brazilian Air Force unveiled the first Gripen E fighter produced in Brazil on 25 March 2026 at Embraer’s industrial complex in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo state. The aircraft is the first supersonic fighter officially presented from Brazilian production lines, marking a milestone for the country’s combat-aircraft industrial base.
The aircraft belongs to the F-39E variant used by the Brazilian Air Force and was built under the 2014 contract for 36 Gripen fighters, comprising 28 single-seat Gripen E aircraft and eight two-seat Gripen F aircraft. Deliveries began in 2020, and 10 aircraft had been handed over before this unveiling.
Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto site produces Gripen E aircraft within a Brazilian and international supply chain, including aerostructures from Saab’s facility in São Bernardo do Campo. The programme remains centered on local assembly, systems integration and technology transfer for Brazil’s long-term fighter capability.