Brazil is moving forward with advanced negotiations with Sweden to purchase up to 12 second-hand Saab Gripen C/D fighter jets. The acquisition is intended as an interim solution to maintain operational capability as the Brazilian Air Force phases out its aging Northrop F-5s and AMX aircraft. The plan mirrors earlier reliance on used Mirage jets, underscoring how fiscal limitations continue to affect Brazil’s modernization efforts.
The deal comes as Brazil awaits the full delivery of its Gripen E/F fleet under the long-running F-X2 program, a project repeatedly delayed by financial constraints. Defense officials see the second-hand Gripens as a stopgap measure to ensure that air defense coverage is not compromised during the transition period.
Confirmation of the talks followed the September 2025 visit of Brazilian Air Force Commander Lieutenant Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno to Stockholm. During his trip, he met Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson and signed a joint declaration on bilateral defense cooperation.
While the declaration highlighted Sweden’s order of four Brazilian-made Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft, it made no mention of the fighter jet negotiations. To date, Saab, along with both governments, has refrained from making detailed public comments, leaving the scope and timeline of the potential deal open to speculation.
