First Brazil‑assembled Gripen E completes maiden flight

The first Saab Gripen E fighter assembled outside Sweden made its maiden flight on 6 October, with Saab chief test pilot Jakob Högberg at the controls.

The production acceptance test, planned and executed by Embraer engineers with Saab support, initiates the final manufacturing phase at Embraer’s São Paulo facility, which now hosts South America’s only supersonic fighter production line, and the aircraft will be delivered to the Brazilian Air Force for service at Anápolis Air Base with the First Air Defense Group.