Brazil has announced plans to acquire up to 20 additional Saab Gripen E fighters, potentially expanding one of the largest current orders for the Swedish-built combat aircraft.
If finalized, the purchase would increase Brazil's Gripen commitment from 36 to 56 aircraft, representing a 56% increase over the original contract signed in 2014.
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June 02, 2026
The announcement was made during a visit to Sweden this week, where Brazilian and Swedish officials attended the rollout ceremony of the first two-seat Gripen F developed for the Brazilian Air Force.
No contract has been signed and no delivery schedule has been disclosed. Saab said it is ready to begin negotiations for the additional aircraft.
Brazil is already the largest Gripen E operator and remains a key industrial partner in the program. The original order covers 28 single-seat Gripen Es and eight two-seat Gripen Fs, with aircraft production shared between Saab and local aerospace partners.
The Brazilian Air Force has received 11 Gripens so far. The remaining aircraft are still in production, including the newly unveiled Gripen F, a variant developed specifically to meet Brazilian requirements.
The potential follow-on order comes as Saab's order backlog grows. In recent weeks, the company secured a contract for 15 Gripen E fighters from Colombia, while Ukraine has also selected the type for a future fleet renewal program.
Additional Brazilian orders would provide further production continuity for the Gripen program at a time when Saab is seeking to increase output to meet rising international demand.
The move would also mark a significant expansion of Brazil's fighter modernization effort. When the Gripen was selected more than a decade ago, military planners had envisioned a substantially larger future combat fleet than the 36 aircraft eventually included in the initial contract.
Further details regarding financing, pricing and delivery timelines are expected to emerge only after formal negotiations begin between Brazil, Sweden and Saab.
