First Brazilian Gripen takes flight
Saab has carried out the maiden flight of the first Gripen E fighter for the Brazilian air force.
The 65min sortie of aircraft 39-6001 was carried out by Saab test pilot Richard Ljungberg from the company’s Linköping, Sweden site on 26 August, during which it verified basic handling and flying qualities at different altitudes and speeds, ensuring that the aircraft’s behaviour was in line with expectations.
‘This milestone is a testament to the great partnership between Sweden and Brazil. Less than five years since the contract was signed, the first Brazil Gripen has conducted her first flight,’ Håkan Buskhe, president and CEO of Saab, said.
This aircraft is the first Brazilian production aircraft and will now be used in the joint test programme being carried out by the Swedish government and Saab, expanding the test parameters for the tactical system and sensors on-board the fighter, which once in service with the Brazilian air force as the F-39 will have the tail number 4100.
Aircraft 39-6001 is different to previous Gripen E test aircraft in that it has a new cockpit layout including a large wide area display, two small head down displays, and a new head up display, as well as an updated flight control system.
‘For me as a pilot it has been a great honour to fly the first Brazilian Gripen E aircraft as I know how much this means for the Brazilian air force and everyone at Saab and our Brazilian partners,’ Ljungberg said.
‘The flight was smooth and the aircraft behaved just as we have seen in the rigs and simulators. This was also the first time we flew with the wide area display in the cockpit, and I am happy to say that my expectations were confirmed.’
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Defence Notes
-
Malaysia’s defence budget sets out major procurement goals for 2026
The country has allocated RM21.70 billion for defence spending next year, with some major procurements set to be initiated across the country’s army, navy and air force.
-
GAO highlights the need for more commercial data and availability improvements
The US Government Accountability Office recently released two reports; one into the availability of selected equipment and another looking at how the government gets data and intellectual property rights through contracting.
-
How Canada plans to “seize” the opportunity to increase investments in defence
The Canadian Department of National Defence has been increasing efforts to accelerate the acquisition of new equipment and modernise its in-service inventory.
-
Palantir and Boeing partner up to bring AI to defence manufacturing
The partnership with the US airframer will see Palantir’s AI software leveraged to help streamline data analytics across Boeing’s 12 factories on defence and classified programmes.
-
DroneShield to double its US footprint to meet growing demand for counter-UxS capabilities
DroneShield disclosed to Shephard its plans to increase its workforce and manufacturing capacities while strengthening partnerships with US suppliers.
-
Singapore’s DSTA seeks wider partnerships to advance robotics and AI capabilities
The technology organisation is expecting a significant rise in the number of staff working across robotics and digital solutions as it becomes more of a focal point.