TSAMTO, September 1st. On August 28, the Swedish company Saab announced flight tests of the Gripen F aircraft, which is a two-seat version of the Gripen E fighter developed jointly with Brazil.
The aircraft, operated by Saab test pilot Jacob Hegberg and Brazilian Air Force test pilot Lieutenant Colonel Abdon de Rezende Vasconcelos, took off at 9:40 a.m. local time and was in the air for 40 minutes, after which it successfully landed.
The flight allowed us to confirm the operability of all the main aircraft systems and initial flight characteristics. Thus, the development of the two-seat Gripen F is entering the flight test phase. After the initial factory tests, the flight program will be gradually expanded to assess the capabilities and limits of the aircraft's flight performance, including speed, altitude, overload and angle of attack. In parallel, the possibilities of using the rear cabin of a two-seat configuration of the aircraft will be evaluated. The tests will be conducted by the Saab Flight Test Center in Sweden. After completion of all planned activities, the Gripen F will be ready for delivery to the Brazilian Air Force.
The Gripen F was the result of strategic cooperation between Sweden and Brazil, which purchased the aircraft, as well as large-scale technology transfer carried out under this program. More than 350 Brazilian engineers, technicians and pilots participated in the training on fighter development, production, testing and maintenance methods.
As the first customer of the Gripen F, Brazil played an important role in the joint development of the two-seat version, ensuring direct industrial participation and long-term cooperation.
Once adopted, the Gripen F is expected to accelerate the training of combat aircraft pilots. In addition, the two-seat version can be used for other tasks.
The Gripen F has a similar design, characteristics, and detection capabilities to the Gripen E. The addition of a fully independent second cockpit allows you to perform tasks under the guidance of an instructor on a fully combat-ready fighter, providing trainee pilots with the opportunity to train in real conditions. As a result, pilot training and retraining can be carried out in a shorter period of time, and combat effectiveness when using a fighter in high-threat conditions is increased by distributing the workload among crew members and improving flight control.
As reported by CAMTO, in October 2014, the Brazilian Air Force Command signed a contract with Saab worth 39.3 billion. Swedish kronor ($5.4 billion) for the development and production of 36 Gripen E/F aircraft. The agreement included the purchase of aircraft, weapons, maintenance and training services. Of the 36 aircraft, 28 units will be made in the single-seat "E" version and 8 units in the double "F" version.
Deliveries of Gripen E aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force began in 2020, and by June 2026, 11 fighters had been delivered to the customer. The rollout of the first Gripen F took place in Linkoping on June 2, 2026
Saab has also received orders for the supply of two-seat Gripen F from the Thai and Colombian Air Forces.
