Brazil is negotiating with Sweden to acquire up to 12 second-hand Saab Gripen C/D fighters as a temporary solution while retiring its aging F-5 and AMX aircraft, Folha de S.Paulo reported on September 18, 2025.
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) seeks interim fighters due to repeated delays in its Gripen E/F program, primarily caused by budgetary and political factors. Under the original 2014 contract, the last of 36 aircraft was expected in 2024, but funding issues and multiple contract amendments have pushed deliveries to 2032. Ten aircraft are currently in Brazil, and the first locally assembled Gripen is expected to fly this year.
While the modernized F-5M fleet remains operational, it is gradually being retired. The Italian-Brazilian AMX A-1 attack aircraft is also nearing retirement, with roughly 30 examples remaining, not all fully operational. Without an interim acquisition, FAB risks a capability gap affecting both air defense and precision strike. The Air Force has warned legislators of this potential “apagão,” or blackout, in national defense capabilities.
The proposed solution involves a mix of six new Gripen E/F fighters and twelve second-hand C/D aircraft, echoing past practice when Brazil purchased twelve Mirage 2000s from France between 2006 and 2013. However, Sweden has been cautious due to NATO obligations and regional security concerns, particularly after the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Transferring twelve aircraft could significantly affect Sweden’s operational readiness.
The Gripen C/D is a single-engine, delta-canard multirole fighter that entered Swedish service in 2005. Powered by the Volvo Aero RM12 engine, it can exceed Mach 2 and reach 15,240 meters altitude. Armament includes a 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon, AIM-9 Sidewinder, IRIS-T, AMRAAM, Meteor, MICA missiles, precision-guided bombs, and anti-ship weapons like the RBS-15F. Avionics include PS-05/A radar, Link 16, and NATO-compatible ID systems. MS20 Block upgrades ensure the C/D remains operationally relevant alongside the newer Gripen E/F fleet. Sweden plans to keep 60 C/D aircraft in service at least until 2035.
