Saab’s Gripen F two-seat fighter completed its maiden flight from the company’s airfield in Linköping, Sweden, on 28 August, with chief test pilot Jakob Högberg and Brazilian Air Force test pilot Lt. Col. Abdon de Rezende Vasconcelos on board. The 40-minute sortie verified core systems and initial flight performance as the aircraft moved into the flight-test phase of the Gripen E family’s development.
The first airborne campaign for Gripen F is aimed at broader testing of the platform’s speed, altitude and tactical capabilities. The aircraft is the twin-seat version of Gripen E and forms part of Brazil’s fighter programme, which is tied to Saab’s work with the Brazilian Air Force. Saab’s release described the flight as a successful validation of the aircraft’s core systems, while Swedish broadcaster SVT independently reported the same take-off time, location and crew details.
No schedule for the next stages of testing or any delivery timing was disclosed. The focus now shifts from ground work to airborne evaluation as Saab continues development of the multirole fighter for Brazilian service.