By Brazil Stock Guide – Brazil is set to formally launch its first domestically manufactured supersonic fighter jet on Wednesday (25), marking a milestone in the country’s push for technological autonomy in defense. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is expected to attend the ceremony in São Paulo, where the Gripen F-39E will be officially presented.
The aircraft is the result of a 2013 agreement between Brazil and Sweden’s Saab AB (SAAB-B SS), valued at about $4 billion. The deal included the acquisition of 36 jets and a broad transfer of technology to Brazil’s aerospace industry, particularly to Embraer SA (EMBR3 BZ) and the Brazilian Air Force.
Unlike competing bids at the time, Saab’s proposal stood out for enabling local participation in the development process. Brazilian engineers were involved from early design stages, as the Gripen platform was still under development when the contract was signed.
Key components of the aircraft—including sections of the fuselage, the tail cone, braking systems and cockpit instruments—were developed in Brazil. Part of the original fleet has also been assembled domestically, underscoring the effective transfer of production capabilities.
The Brazilian Air Force sees the project as a strategic step that places the country among a limited group of nations capable of producing advanced defense technologies. Beyond strengthening national security, the program is also expected to sustain a long-term industrial base and generate highly skilled jobs.
“There is an entire structure linked to the production of these fighters. It is not something that will be dismantled after manufacturing, but rather something permanent,” said Colonel Aviator Claucio Oliveira Marques, manager of the F-X2 program.
The rollout comes alongside broader efforts to expand Brazil’s defense industrial base. The sector has reported strong commercial performance in recent years, including record export levels.
Defense Minister José Múrcio highlighted the trend, stating: “A sector that, in the past three years, has stood out with successive positive commercial results, including two consecutive records, in 2024 and 2025, when we surpassed, in the latter year, $3.4 billion in authorized exports. A major achievement.”
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