Saab’s Gripen F multirole fighter jet, jointly developed with Brazil, has completed its maiden flight at the company’s airfield in Linköping, Sweden.
Saab’s Gripen F multirole fighter jet, jointly developed with Brazil, has completed its maiden flight at the company’s airfield in Linköping, Sweden.
The Swedish defense firm’s chief test pilot, Jakob Högberg, and Brazilian Air Force test pilot Lt. Colonel Aviator Abdon de Rezende Vasconcelos oversaw the inaugural sortie, during which the aircraft remained airborne for 40 minutes, verifying the platform’s core systems functionality and initial flight performance.
The first flight comes around two months after Saab rolled out the first Gripen F in early June.
Following the event, the program will move into a “progressive envelope expansion phase” where its speed, altitude, G-load, and angle of attack performance will be cleared. Its tactical capabilities and rear cockpit functions will also undergo evaluation.
“This first flight represents an important step forward for both Saab and the Brazilian Air Force. Seeing Gripen F take to the skies is particularly significant for all the Swedish and Brazilian teams whose years of engineering work have helped turn this aircraft into a reality,” said Lars Tossman, head of Saab business area Aeronautics.
Gripen F
Saab and Brazil inked a 2014 agreement covering the joint production and development of 36 Gripen fighters, comprising 28 single-seat Gripen E and eight two-seat Gripen F variants.
The first Brazil-produced Gripen E was unveiled in March 2026. Three months later, Brasilia expressed interest in acquiring 20 more Gripen jets, with production to take place domestically.
The Gripen F was “designed to accelerate pilot training while enhancing operational performance in advanced combat missions,” as it shares the same mission systems and performance with the Gripen E, while adding a second cockpit for instructors and trainee pilots.
Apart from Brazil, Colombia and Thailand have placed orders for the Swedish-Brazilian aircraft.
