Brazilian authorities have announced the upcoming order for 34 additional JAS 39 Gripen E/F fighters for the Brazilian Air Force.
In 2013, Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab's export manager, Eddy de la Motte, was all smiles. He had just finalized negotiations with Brazil for the first batch of 36 Gripen NG single-engine fighters, the evolution of the JAS 39 Gripen already in service with the Flygvapnet, the Swedish air force, and the most great export success for the aircraft manufacturer, with four operators (South Africa, Hungary, Czech Republic and Thailand).
He then estimated that the export market for what would later become the JAS 39 Gripen E (single-seater version) and F (two-seater version), was between 400 and 450 aircraft.
The JAS 39 Gripen EF desert crossing
Ten years later, the atmosphere was completely different in Stockholm. Indeed, the Gripen EF had not recorded any new orders from Brazil, but it was systematically beaten, during international competitions, by the American F-35A (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Switzerland). ), the F-16V (Bulgaria and Slovakia) and the Rafale (Croatia, India, Indonesia).
Even its historical customers, such as the Czech Republic and Thailand, and its neighbors, such as Denmark, Norway and especially Finland, preferred Lockheed-Martin's plane, which was considerably more expensive, to the light, efficient and economical Swedish fighter. .
In this context, the announcement made this week by the Brazilian authorities was very probably well received by the aircraft manufacturer, which was beginning to doubt its ability to survive this failure.
Indeed, Brasília has just announced that an upcoming order for 34 new JAS 39 Gripen E/F will be signed, its financing being provided by ane envelope of 52,8 billion reais, i.e. €10 billion invested by the federal government for the modernization of the armies in the years to come. It will bring the Gripen fleet within the Brazilian Air Force to 74 aircraft.
34 new Gripen to come for the Brazilian Air Force
The new Brazilian order is in no way a surprise. Indeed, initially, the country's air force had estimated their needs at 108 aircraft which were to be ordered in three successive batches.
It will however have been necessary to wait for the Brazilian production line of the JAS 39 Gripen E to be active, from May of this year, for the question to advance and be clarified.
75% of this article remains to read,
Subscribe to access it!
The Classic subscriptions provide access to
articles in their full version, and without advertising,
from 6,90 €.
Newsletter subscription
Register for the Meta-Defense Newsletter to receive the
latest fashion articles daily or weekly