Saab has rolled out the first Gripen F, the two-seat variant of its Gripen E fighter, at a ceremony for the Brazilian Air Force held at the company’s facilities in Linköping, Sweden, on 2 June 2026.
The Gripen F combines conversion training and combat capability on a single platform, adding a second cockpit to the single-seat Gripen E. Saab said Brazil, as the launch customer, had taken an active part in co-developing the variant, with direct industrial involvement and an extensive transfer-of-technology programme under which the company said hundreds of Brazilian engineers and technicians had been trained and the country’s design and development base strengthened.
Lars Tossman, head of Saab’s Aeronautics business area, framed the rollout as a product of the long collaboration between the company, Brazilian industry and the air force. “The rollout of Gripen F represents a shared achievement between Saab, Brazilian industry and the Brazilian Air Force, reflecting the deep trust we have built together over many years,” he said, describing the aircraft as both a capable fighter for Brazil and the result of sustained joint development.
According to Saab, the Gripen F shares the performance, sensors and architecture of the Gripen E, with the second cockpit operating independently so that an instructor can guide missions in a fully operational fighter. The company said this allowed trainee pilots to fly under realistic live mission conditions, accelerating pilot conversion and preparatory training while improving effectiveness in high-threat environments through shared crew workload.
The aircraft will now be transferred to Saab’s Flight Test Centre in Sweden to begin a dedicated flight test campaign before final delivery to the Brazilian Air Force.
The two-seat variant stems from Brazil’s 2014 contract with Saab, which covers the development and production of 36 aircraft, comprising 28 single-seat Gripen E and eight twin-seat Gripen F. Deliveries began in 2020, and Saab said 11 aircraft had been handed over to date. The company said it had also received Gripen F orders from Thailand and Colombia.
