Saab and Embraer Target Expanded Gripen Production in Brazil

The proposed agreement follows a 2014 contract that initially saw Brazil order 36 jets, with a mandate to produce specific variants locally. Currently, 15 of those aircraft are slated for assembly at the Gaviao Peixoto site, where the first domestically produced Gripen was unveiled earlier this year. Under the new arrangement, Embraer would manage the assembly of the additional units, effectively creating a secondary production hub to complement Saab’s primary lines in Sweden.

Saab Chief Executive Micael Johansson noted that the move is designed to secure necessary capacity for future international orders. The companies aim to finalize the formal agreement by the end of this year, signaling a deeper integration of Brazilian industrial capabilities into the global supply chain for the Gripen program.