Will Brazil replace its aging US fighter jets with 12 Saab Gripen C/D from Sweden?
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As reported by the Folha de S.Paulo on September 18, 2025, Brazil is in discussions with Sweden to acquire up to 12 second-hand Saab Gripen C/D fighter jets as a temporary solution against an impending capability gap with the retirement of its aging Northrop F-5s and AMX attack aircraft. The interim deal, if reached, would echo Brazil’s past reliance on second-hand Mirage jets and address delays (due to Brazil’s own financial decisions) in the delivery of the more modern Gripen E/F fleet under the long-running F-X2 program.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Gripen has been successfully exported well beyond Sweden, with the C/D variant operated by Hungary, the Czech Republic, South Africa, and Thailand, while Brazil and Colombia have ordered the newer E/F version. (Picture source: Hungarian MoD)
The talks were confirmed after Brazilian Air Force Commander Lieutenant Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno visited Stockholm in September 2025, where he met Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson and signed a joint declaration on bilateral defense cooperation. The declaration emphasized Sweden’s purchase of four Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft but did not address the used fighter discussions. According to the newspaper, neither Saab nor the Brazilian or Swedish governments has offered detailed public comments beyond acknowledging the cooperation framework.
The Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB)’s search for interim fighters stems from repeated delays in its Gripen E/F program, which are primarily linked to Brazil’s own budget cycles and political decisions (to date, twelve contractual addenda have already been signed) rather than technical problems with the aircraft. Under the original 2014 contract, the last of 36 ordered aircraft was expected in 2024, but financial constraints and successive funding amendments have pushed this date to 2032, an eight-year delay compared to initial projections. So far, ten aircraft are in Brazil, with the first locally assembled unit expected to fly this year from Embraer’s facility. The revised schedule now foresees deliveries extending into the next decade, creating a sustained shortfall in capability as older combat types retire.
For instance, the AMX A-1, an Italian-Brazilian ground attack aircraft, is close to retirement, with around 30 examples remaining, though not all are operational. These are based in Santa Maria in Rio Grande do Sul. On the other hand, the upgraded F-5M fleet was modernized between 2005 and 2020 with new avionics, Italian Grifo F multimode radars, improved displays, electronic countermeasures, and compatibility with modern weapons. It continues to serve, but it is also due for a gradual phaseout. Without a bridging acquisition, the FAB risks losing both air defense and precision strike capabilities before the Gripen E/F fleet reaches maturity. Therefore, the Brazilian Air Force has warned the legislators that a capability gap, described as an “apagão,” or blackout, in part of Brazil’s defense system, is a genuine risk if no interim solution is adopted. Due to these twelve amendments that raised costs and stretched deliveries, the Gripen deliveries, which should have concluded in 2024, are now projected to finish in 2032.
Brazil’s strategic objective has been to expand the fleet beyond the original 36 Gripen aircraft to as many as 50, but achieving this number would require a contract add-on of about 25 percent, or roughly 5 billion reais. MIlitary officials consider this level financially unfeasible in actual conditions. A mixed arrangement has therefore been floated that would combine approximately six new Gripen E/F fighters with twelve used Gripen C/Ds. Such a compromise would mirror past practices, as Brazil acquired a dozen Mirage 2000s second-hand from France between 2006 and 2013 to cover a previous gap in its fighter inventory. But Sweden has already decided against donating older C/Ds to Ukraine because of its own readiness needs, particularly after joining NATO and amid heightened tensions with Russia following the war in Ukraine. Transferring twelve aircraft to Brazil would represent a significant loss of capability for Stockholm, and the decision must balance Sweden’s export commitments with its national security obligations. This could explain the caution surrounding any official confirmation of a deal.
The Gripen C/D itself is a single-engine, delta-canard multirole fighter that entered service with the Swedish Air Force in 2005 and remains in frontline service in Central Europe, Southern Africa, and Southeast Asia. Powered by the Volvo Aero RM12 turbofan, a locally produced derivative of the GE F404, it produces around 80.5 kN of thrust with afterburner, giving it speeds above Mach 2 and a service ceiling of about 15,240 meters. The aircraft carries a 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon and has eight external hardpoints for a wide range of armaments, including AIM-9 Sidewinder, IRIS-T, AMRAAM, Meteor, and MICA missiles, as well as precision-guided bombs and anti-ship weapons such as the RBS-15F. Its avionics suite includes the PS-05/A radar family, Link 16 datalink, and NATO-compatible identification systems. Modernization programs such as the MS20 Block upgrades have introduced new sensors, weapons integration, and radar improvements, allowing the Gripen C/D to remain operationally relevant alongside the newer Gripen E/F. Sweden plans to keep 60 C/Ds in service until at least 2035, and similar modernization steps are being undertaken by Hungary, the Czech Republic, and other operators.
Alongside the Gripen C/D option, earlier reports indicate that Brazil has been exploring other fighter jet options to complement its air force beyond its current Gripen fleet, with recent proposals including the HAL Tejas Mk1A from India, second-hand Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons from the United States, and even Italy’s Leonardo M-346 in a Fighter Attack (FA) configuration. China has also proposed supplying Chengdu J-10CE fighters in exchange for Chinese access to the Alcântara Launch Center in Maranhão, a strategic satellite launch site. Opting for one of these might bring financial and availability advantages for Brazil, but it would also introduce a second fighter family into Brazilian service, with all the logistical and training complications that this entails. Whichever interim choice is made, operating mixed fleets during the Gripen E/F transition will complicate fleet standardization and increase demands on personnel and infrastructure.
The Brazilian Gripen E/F program itself remains anchored in the 2014 contract, which was valued at SEK 38.9 billion (about $4.25 billion at the time). That deal covered 28 single-seat Gripen E (designated F-39E in Brazilian service) and eight dual-seat Gripen F (F-39F), as well as two flight simulators. Embraer is the lead Brazilian partner, responsible for final assembly and significant industrial work. Brazil’s acquisition strategy is also guided by internal regulations requiring that the combat fleet consist of no fewer than two and no more than three fighter types, which ensures some diversity without overstretching logistics. Deliveries continue, though at a slower pace than initially projected, due to budget realities.
On September 23, 2024, the FAB announced the arrival of another Gripen E/F, tail number 4108, after a 20-day journey from Sweden to the port of Navegantes. Following customs and technical checks at Navegantes International Airport, the jet was transferred to Anápolis Air Base to join the Jaguar Squadron of the 1st Air Defense Group. This aircraft was the tenth Gripen received by Brazil, part of a sequence that began with the acceptance of four production aircraft in 2021 and an instrumentation test aircraft in 2019. While these deliveries provide tangible progress, they remain far from the total of 36 aircraft and highlight the delivery gaps that Brazil is now seeking to cover through interim solutions.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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As reported by the Folha de S.Paulo on September 18, 2025, Brazil is in discussions with Sweden to acquire up to 12 second-hand Saab Gripen C/D fighter jets as a temporary solution against an impending capability gap with the retirement of its aging Northrop F-5s and AMX attack aircraft. The interim deal, if reached, would echo Brazil’s past reliance on second-hand Mirage jets and address delays (due to Brazil’s own financial decisions) in the delivery of the more modern Gripen E/F fleet under the long-running F-X2 program.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Gripen has been successfully exported well beyond Sweden, with the C/D variant operated by Hungary, the Czech Republic, South Africa, and Thailand, while Brazil and Colombia have ordered the newer E/F version. (Picture source: Hungarian MoD)
The talks were confirmed after Brazilian Air Force Commander Lieutenant Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno visited Stockholm in September 2025, where he met Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson and signed a joint declaration on bilateral defense cooperation. The declaration emphasized Sweden’s purchase of four Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft but did not address the used fighter discussions. According to the newspaper, neither Saab nor the Brazilian or Swedish governments has offered detailed public comments beyond acknowledging the cooperation framework.
The Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB)’s search for interim fighters stems from repeated delays in its Gripen E/F program, which are primarily linked to Brazil’s own budget cycles and political decisions (to date, twelve contractual addenda have already been signed) rather than technical problems with the aircraft. Under the original 2014 contract, the last of 36 ordered aircraft was expected in 2024, but financial constraints and successive funding amendments have pushed this date to 2032, an eight-year delay compared to initial projections. So far, ten aircraft are in Brazil, with the first locally assembled unit expected to fly this year from Embraer’s facility. The revised schedule now foresees deliveries extending into the next decade, creating a sustained shortfall in capability as older combat types retire.
For instance, the AMX A-1, an Italian-Brazilian ground attack aircraft, is close to retirement, with around 30 examples remaining, though not all are operational. These are based in Santa Maria in Rio Grande do Sul. On the other hand, the upgraded F-5M fleet was modernized between 2005 and 2020 with new avionics, Italian Grifo F multimode radars, improved displays, electronic countermeasures, and compatibility with modern weapons. It continues to serve, but it is also due for a gradual phaseout. Without a bridging acquisition, the FAB risks losing both air defense and precision strike capabilities before the Gripen E/F fleet reaches maturity. Therefore, the Brazilian Air Force has warned the legislators that a capability gap, described as an “apagão,” or blackout, in part of Brazil’s defense system, is a genuine risk if no interim solution is adopted. Due to these twelve amendments that raised costs and stretched deliveries, the Gripen deliveries, which should have concluded in 2024, are now projected to finish in 2032.
Brazil’s strategic objective has been to expand the fleet beyond the original 36 Gripen aircraft to as many as 50, but achieving this number would require a contract add-on of about 25 percent, or roughly 5 billion reais. MIlitary officials consider this level financially unfeasible in actual conditions. A mixed arrangement has therefore been floated that would combine approximately six new Gripen E/F fighters with twelve used Gripen C/Ds. Such a compromise would mirror past practices, as Brazil acquired a dozen Mirage 2000s second-hand from France between 2006 and 2013 to cover a previous gap in its fighter inventory. But Sweden has already decided against donating older C/Ds to Ukraine because of its own readiness needs, particularly after joining NATO and amid heightened tensions with Russia following the war in Ukraine. Transferring twelve aircraft to Brazil would represent a significant loss of capability for Stockholm, and the decision must balance Sweden’s export commitments with its national security obligations. This could explain the caution surrounding any official confirmation of a deal.
The Gripen C/D itself is a single-engine, delta-canard multirole fighter that entered service with the Swedish Air Force in 2005 and remains in frontline service in Central Europe, Southern Africa, and Southeast Asia. Powered by the Volvo Aero RM12 turbofan, a locally produced derivative of the GE F404, it produces around 80.5 kN of thrust with afterburner, giving it speeds above Mach 2 and a service ceiling of about 15,240 meters. The aircraft carries a 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon and has eight external hardpoints for a wide range of armaments, including AIM-9 Sidewinder, IRIS-T, AMRAAM, Meteor, and MICA missiles, as well as precision-guided bombs and anti-ship weapons such as the RBS-15F. Its avionics suite includes the PS-05/A radar family, Link 16 datalink, and NATO-compatible identification systems. Modernization programs such as the MS20 Block upgrades have introduced new sensors, weapons integration, and radar improvements, allowing the Gripen C/D to remain operationally relevant alongside the newer Gripen E/F. Sweden plans to keep 60 C/Ds in service until at least 2035, and similar modernization steps are being undertaken by Hungary, the Czech Republic, and other operators.
Alongside the Gripen C/D option, earlier reports indicate that Brazil has been exploring other fighter jet options to complement its air force beyond its current Gripen fleet, with recent proposals including the HAL Tejas Mk1A from India, second-hand Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons from the United States, and even Italy’s Leonardo M-346 in a Fighter Attack (FA) configuration. China has also proposed supplying Chengdu J-10CE fighters in exchange for Chinese access to the Alcântara Launch Center in Maranhão, a strategic satellite launch site. Opting for one of these might bring financial and availability advantages for Brazil, but it would also introduce a second fighter family into Brazilian service, with all the logistical and training complications that this entails. Whichever interim choice is made, operating mixed fleets during the Gripen E/F transition will complicate fleet standardization and increase demands on personnel and infrastructure.
The Brazilian Gripen E/F program itself remains anchored in the 2014 contract, which was valued at SEK 38.9 billion (about $4.25 billion at the time). That deal covered 28 single-seat Gripen E (designated F-39E in Brazilian service) and eight dual-seat Gripen F (F-39F), as well as two flight simulators. Embraer is the lead Brazilian partner, responsible for final assembly and significant industrial work. Brazil’s acquisition strategy is also guided by internal regulations requiring that the combat fleet consist of no fewer than two and no more than three fighter types, which ensures some diversity without overstretching logistics. Deliveries continue, though at a slower pace than initially projected, due to budget realities.
On September 23, 2024, the FAB announced the arrival of another Gripen E/F, tail number 4108, after a 20-day journey from Sweden to the port of Navegantes. Following customs and technical checks at Navegantes International Airport, the jet was transferred to Anápolis Air Base to join the Jaguar Squadron of the 1st Air Defense Group. This aircraft was the tenth Gripen received by Brazil, part of a sequence that began with the acceptance of four production aircraft in 2021 and an instrumentation test aircraft in 2019. While these deliveries provide tangible progress, they remain far from the total of 36 aircraft and highlight the delivery gaps that Brazil is now seeking to cover through interim solutions.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
