Saab Begins Production Of Gripen Fighters In Brazil

Saab’s Gripen Fighter: Sweden’s leading defence and aerospace major Saab has for the first time commenced the production of parts of Gripen fighter jets outside the country. The site located in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil started the production of sections of airframe for Gripen E/F fighters, which will be delivered to the final assembly facilities at the Embraer plant in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo, Brazil and also to Saab in Linköping, Sweden, said the company in a statement.

In 2014, Saab signed a contract with Brazilian government for the development and production of 36 Gripen E/F aircraft.

“In September last year, the first Brazilian Gripen E aircraft was delivered to start the flight test programme. Now, another milestone is reached, as Gripen production starts at Saab’s site in São Bernardo do Campo, in São Paulo in Brazil,” Saab said in a press statement.

The tail cone and front fuselage of the single-seat version of the Gripen fighter are the first aerostructures to enter into production at Saab’s site in São Paulo. The company will also produce aerodynamic brakes, rear fuselage, wing box and front fuselage for the two-seater version at the plant in future.

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Saab transfers technology for Gripen manufacture to Brazil

The Swedish defence giant said it was under the transfer of technology (ToT) for the Gripen programme.

“Based on theoretical and practical on-the-job training of Brazilian engineers and assemblers at our Linköping site, we were able to establish a highly qualified production line in our production site in São Bernardo do Campo,” says Jonas Hjelm, head of Saab’s business area Aeronautics.

Jonas Hjelm, head of business area of Saab Aeronautics.

Jonas Hjelm said the company is following the same standards in its production a the Brazilian plant as it follows in its Sweden factory.

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Currently, Saab has more than 70 highly qualified employees present at the site in São Bernardo do Campo, half of whom are participating or have already participated in the ToT Programme in Sweden.

Part of these employees have already completed the training and returned to initiate the production in Brazil.

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