The first Brazilian Gripen E, designated by the
Brazilian Air Force (FAB) as F-39 Gripen, concluded its maiden
flight in Brazil on Thursday.
The aircraft flew from the airport in Navegantes
to Embraer’s facility in Gavião Peixoto.
The official presentation of the aircraft is
scheduled to take place during Aviator’s Day and the Brazilian
Air Force Day ceremony in Brasilia on the 23rd of
October.
“Gripen's arrival in Brazil and its first flight
are major milestones in the Brazilian Gripen programme. We are
proud of this journey alongside so many qualified and committed
professionals from both countries,” said Micael Johansson,
President and CEO of Saab. “We are following the delivery schedule
for the aircraft and we continue to maintain our long-term
commitment to Brazil.”
The flight test programme will be
expanded to include the Gripen Flight Test Center at Embraer in
Gavião Peixoto, which will be fully integrated with the test
programme already running at full phase at Saab in Linköping since
2017.
Activities in Brazil will include testing of flight control
system, environmental control system as well as tests in the
aircraft in tropical climate conditions.
In addition to the
testing that is common for the Gripen E Programme, unique features
of the Brazilian aircraft, such as weapons integration as well as
the Link BR2 communication system - which provides encrypted data
and voice communication between the aircraft - will be tested in
Brazil.
Jackson Schneider, President and CEO of Embraer
Defense & Security, said, “Embraer will play a leading role in the
execution of the Gripen programme in Brazil and will be
responsible for systems development, integration, flight testing,
final assembly, and delivery of the aircraft in support of
Brazilian Air Force operations. In terms of technology transfer,
the Gripen programme is a great opportunity to increase our
knowledge in the development and manufacturing of advanced combat
aircraft.”
The production aircraft will be delivered to the
Brazilian Air Force, at Wing 2 in Anápolis (Goiás State), by the
end of 2021.
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