Brazil assembles first supersonic fighter jet domestically

Brasilia (Web Desk)– Brazil has marked a major milestone in its defense sector by assembling a supersonic fighter jet domestically for the first time.

The aircraft, a Saab Gripen, was officially unveiled at a ceremony in Gaviao Peixoto on Wednesday. This achievement makes Brazil the first country in Latin America to gain the capability to locally assemble such advanced combat aircraft.

The development stems from a 2014 agreement between Brazil and Swedish defense company Saab. Under the deal, Brazil selected the Gripen over competing aircraft such as Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Dassault Rafale, aiming to modernize its aging air force fleet.

A key feature of the agreement is the transfer of technology, allowing Brazil to locally manufacture 15 out of the 36 jets included in the contract. Saab’s CEO, Mikael Johansson, described the project as historic, noting that it is the first time in the company’s nearly 90-year history that fighter jets are being produced outside Sweden.

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He added that the production facility in Brazil could also be used to export aircraft to other countries in the future. Neighboring Colombia has already expressed interest in acquiring the Gripen, potentially opening new export opportunities.

Defense analysts view this achievement as a sign of Brazil’s growing capabilities in military aviation. At the same time, the country’s aerospace sector is gaining global recognition, with the Embraer C-390 Millennium cargo plane attracting increasing demand from European nations.