Brazil-Sweden agreement: FAB to get more Gripen fighters and Sweden starts purchase of the C-390 Millennium

Brazil and Sweden took a firm step towards the conclusion of an agreement that will allow the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) to increase its inventory of JAS-39 Gripen E/F fighters, while the Swedish Air Force will incorporate the Brazilian C-390 Millennium as a new military transport aircraft, replacing its aging C-130 Hercules.

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In Natal, Brazil, the defense ministers of Sweden and Brazil met to sign a Letter of Intent (LOI) aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense. This agreement marks the formal start of negotiations by Sweden for the eventual acquisition of the Embraer C-390 Millennium transport aircraft.

Sweden and Brazil already have a strategic partnership in defense material. This latest letter of intent establishes the desire of both countries to expand their cooperation in the aerospace area.

In 2014, Brazil signed a contract with Sweden’s Saab for the acquisition of 36 JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, of which eight have already been delivered. In addition, Saab and Brazilian manufacturer Embraer have started joint production of these aircraft in Brazil. Recently, the Brazilian government announced its intention to increase the current contract for the F-39 Gripen (Brazilian Air Force designation) by 25%, which would involve the purchase of nine additional fighters.

At the same time, Sweden is interested in purchasing Embraer C-390 transport aircraft from Brazil. With the signing of the LOI, the Swedish government is prepared to instruct the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) and the Swedish Armed Forces to start negotiations with the aim of acquiring C-390 aircraft.

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“Aerospace cooperation is important for both Sweden and Brazil. The new letter of intent lays the foundation for further deepening this cooperation,” said Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson.

The Swedish Armed Forces’ current military transport aircraft, the TP 84 Hercules (Swedish designation for the C-130), is old and has accessibility problems. The aircraft has served in the Armed Forces for more than 50 years and the process of replacing the system has been underway for a long time. The letter of intent signed is therefore a welcome message, as it has been important to have a replacement.

The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) has on several occasions expressed its intention to increase the fleet of modern fighter aircraft to between 70 or more units, allocating additional resources to the acquisition of more Gripen fighters. Although the current plan to increase the F-39 fleet by 25% is a good start, it is still far from the target. This objective could be achieved gradually through successive contracts with Sweden or complemented by the addition of another fighter aircraft, such as the French proposal to supply 24 Dassault Rafale fighters.