New FAB Gripen Fighter Takes Off for the First Time in Brazil
(Source: Brazilian Ministry of Defense; issued Sept 24, 2020)
(Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com)
The first Saab Gripen E fighter takes off for its first flight in Brazilian airspace from Navegantes, where it arrived by ship from Sweden, to fly to Embraer’s plant in Gaviao Peixoto, where Embraer will continue its development. (FAB photo)
Like the Navy Submarine Development Program and the Army's Guarani Project, the Gripen Project is a Strategic Defense Project. Based on the guidelines established in the National Defense Strategy, the Ministry of Defence defined the strategic projects that will allow the country to develop the capacity to effectively defend its sovereignty and its interests. Each service is in charge of executing its own Strategic Defense Projects.
These initiatives are supported by financial measures that guarantee their continued implementation. All of these projects are included in the Defense Articulation and Equipment Plan (PAED), the main instrument that the State has to guarantee the supply of the financial means required by the Armed Forces.
The F-39E fighter, developed jointly by Brazil and Sweden, will be the backbone of Brazil’s combat aviation, and the most modern and advanced multi-mission platform that will defend Brazilian airspace. The aircraft will be presented in public in Brasília on October 23, the date on which the Day of the Aviator and the Brazilian Air Force is celebrated.
This is the current status of the Strategic defense Projects:
Gripen Project
Signed in 2014 by the Air Force, the contract with the Swedish company Saab provides for the acquisition of 36 Gripen fighter planes, 28 of which are single-seaters and eight two-seaters, to carry out missions such as airspace policing, attack and reconnaissance. Saab is responsible for developing the aircraft in partnership with the Brazilian aerospace industry, which, thanks to a technology transfer program, is preparing to produce parts and assemble part of the Gripens in Brazil.
The technology transfer program consists of around 60 key projects. The most expressive is the Gripen Design and Development Network (GDDN), located at Embraer's Gavião Peixoto industrial plant.
O caça F-39E Gripen da FAB acaba de decolar de Navegantes/SC com destino a Gavião Peixoto/SP, em seu primeiro voo no espaço aéreo brasileiro.
F-39E Gripen Performs First Flight In Brazilian Airspace
(Source: Brazilian Air Force; issued Sept 24, 2020)
(Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com)
In the early hours of September 22, the F-39E Gripen was driven to Navegantes airport to prepare for its first flight in Brazilian airspace. The aircraft was escorted on the route by military personnel from the Security and Defense Groups (GSD) stationed in Canoas, Santa Maria and Florianópolis, in addition to the Fire Department and the Military Police of Santa Catarina.
This F-39E Gripen is a prototype equipped with instruments for the continuation of the test campaign, which started in August 2019 in Sweden. After preparing for the flight, carried out at Navegantes airport, the multi-mission aircraft, developed in a partnership between Brazil and Sweden, took off, on Thursday (Sept. 24) from Navegantes (SC) to fly to Gavião Peixoto (SP), accompanied by two F-5M aircraft belonging to the First Squadron of the Fourteenth Aviation Group (1st / 14th GAV), the “Pampa” Squadron.
Two FAB helicopters, an H-36 Caracal and an H-60L Black Hawk, were kept under alert for Search and Rescue in Pirassununga (SP) and Florianópolis, respectively, for any eventuality.
The landing at the Embraer plant, in Gavião Peixoto (SP), occurred at 3:07 pm. The aircraft will be allocated at the Gripen Flight Test Center (GFTC) a structure built for technology transfer, support and updates throughout the aircraft 's life cycle at the FAB. The objective is that the GFTC can support, in the areas of engineering, tests and tests, integration and modernizations, in addition to acting in the development of software for the evolution of the project.
The F-39 Gripen, in both E (single-seat) and F (two-seat) versions, will be the most modern and advanced multi-mission aircraft acting in defense of Brazilian airspace. The plane will be presented to the public in Brasília (DF), on October 23, the date on which the Day of the Aviator and the Brazilian Air Force is celebrated. It was on that in 1906 that Alberto Santos-Dumont took off on his first flight with the 14-Bis aircraft from the Bagatelle common, near Paris.
The Minister of Defense, Fernando Azevedo e Silva, highlighted the importance of sharing experiences through cooperation between Brazil and Sweden. "Gripen increases the operational capability of the Brazilian Air Force and promotes a partnership that fosters research and industrial development in both countries," stated the Minister.
For the Air Force Commander, Lt. Brig. Air Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez, the arrival of the first F-39E Gripen aircraft is a major milestone for the project. "It is an immense satisfaction for the Brazilian Air Force to see this aircraft flying on national territory. The F-39E / F Gripen, the new FAB multi-mission aircraft, will be the backbone of Fighter Aviation and has come to reaffirm our commitment to maintaining sovereignty of the country and to defending its 22 million square kilometers," said Lt-Brig. Bermudez, who signed the authorization for the first flight of the F-39E Gripen in Brazilian airspace.
Gripen
Gripen is known for its efficiency, low operating cost, high availability and advanced technological capacity. In several Air Forces in the world it is the aircraft responsible for the sovereignty and protection of the nation, carrying out varied missions, such as those of policing airspace in critical regions. The use of this aircraft will bring an important qualitative and technological leap to Brazil, as some of its capabilities are unprecedented for the FAB.
In this context, the new multi-mission aircraft will be used in joint development activities to be carried out by the Brazilian industrial base, through cooperation between Saab and the national companies selected as beneficiaries in the technology transfer program (offsets). The national defense industry is involved in the process of developing structures, systems and avionics, in the production, flight tests and training to support, maintain and modernize this fleet for the next decades.
The joint activities started in 2014 with the signing of the contract for the development and production of the Gripen E / F aircraft for the FAB, including embedded systems, support and equipment. The aircraft are developed and produced with the participation of Brazilian technicians and engineers. This integration is part of the technology transfer and aims to provide the necessary knowledge for the continuity of activities in Brazil.
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The First Brazilian Gripen Has Flown in Brazil
(Source: jointly issued by Embraer and Saab on Sept. 24, 2020)
The official presentation of the aircraft is scheduled to take place during the Aviator’s Day and the Brazilian Air Force Day ceremony in Brasilia, celebrated on the 23rd of October.
“Gripen's arrival in Brazil and its first flight are major milestones in the Brazilian Gripen programme. We are proud of this journey alongside so many qualified and committed professionals from both countries,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab. “We are following the delivery schedule for the aircraft and we continue to maintain our long-term commitment to Brazil.”
RELEASE: The first Brazilian Gripen has flown in Brazil https://t.co/gusC5zpzsW pic.twitter.com/D9iFulAcVx
— Saab AB (@Saab) September 24, 2020
The President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, Jackson Schneider, highlighted the scope of this partnership: “Embraer will play a leading role in the execution of the Gripen programme in Brazil and will be responsible for systems development, integration, flight testing, final assembly, and delivery of the aircraft in support of Brazilian Air Force operations. In terms of technology transfer, the Gripen programme is a great opportunity to increase our knowledge in the development and manufacturing of advanced combat aircraft.”
The Brazilian Minister of Defence, Fernando Azevedo e Silva also highlighted the importance of sharing experiences arising from cooperation between Brazil and Sweden: “Gripen increases the operational capacity of the Brazilian Air Force and promotes a partnership that fosters research and industrial development in both countries,” the Minister of Defence declared.
For the Air Force Commander, Lt. Brig. Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez, the arrival of the first F-39 Gripen aircraft is a major milestone for the project: “It is an immense satisfaction for the Brazilian Air Force to see this aircraft flying on national territory. The F-39 Gripen, the new Brazilian Air Force multi-mission aircraft, will be the backbone of Fighter Aviation and it reaffirms the FAB's commitment to maintaining the country's sovereignty and to defend the twenty-two million square kilometres under its responsibility”, Lt. Brig. Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez points out.
The flight test programme will be expanded to include the Gripen Flight Test Center at Embraer in Gavião Peixoto, which will be fully integrated with the test programme already running at full phase at Saab in Linköping since 2017. Activities in Brazil will include testing of flight control system, environmental control system as well as tests in the aircraft in tropical climate conditions.
In addition to the testing that is common for the Gripen E Programme, unique features of the Brazilian aircraft, such as weapons integration as well as the Link BR2 communication system - which provides encrypted data and voice communication between the aircraft - will be tested in Brazil.
The production aircraft will be delivered to the Brazilian Air Force, at Wing 2 in Anápolis (Goiás State), by the end of 2021.
The Brazilian Gripen programme
The partnership with Brazil began in 2014 with a contract for the development and the production of 36 Gripen E/F aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force, including related systems, support and equipment. A comprehensive technology transfer programme, which is being delivered over a period of ten years, is driving the development of the local aeronautics industry through the partner companies participating in the Brazilian Gripen programme.
The Brazilian Gripen E/F fighters are developed and produced in collaboration with Brazilian technicians and engineers. This joint effort is part of the technology transfer programme which aims to produce the practical knowledge needed for the execution of these same tasks in Brazil. As of 2021, the complete assembly of 15 aircraft will commence locally. The development of the two-seat Gripen F is advancing with numerous activities at the Gripen Design and Development Centre (GDDN) in Gavião Peixoto.
A global aerospace company headquartered in Brazil, Embraer celebrates its 50th anniversary with businesses in Commercial and Executive aviation, Defense & Security and Agricultural Aviation. Since it was founded in 1969, Embraer has delivered more than 8,000 aircraft.
Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions within military defence and civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents around the world. Through innovative, collaborative and pragmatic thinking, Saab develops, adopts and improves new technology to meet customers’ changing needs.
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