Amid its combat aviation modernization process, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) is considering the acquisition of 12 second-hand Gripen C/D fighters from Sweden to replace its veteran Northrop F-5M Tiger II fleet, in service since 1975. This alternative emerges as a transitional measure to cover the gradual retirement of the Tiger II, aircraft that have already reached 50 years of service and whose definitive withdrawal would reduce defense capabilities, while deliveries of the new-generation F-39 Gripen E/F are completed. The need is reinforced by the recently updated delivery schedule, which now extends until 2032.
The F-5 Tiger II fleet, upgraded in the 2000s to the F-5M standard, has been—alongside the Mirage IIIEBR (designated F-103 in the FAB) and later the Mirage 2000C/B—the backbone of Brazilian air defense for five decades. Despite improvements in avionics, radar, and weaponry, their operational cycle is nearing its end. The FAB has already confirmed that both the F-5M and the AMX A-1 “Falcão”—the only operator worldwide after Italy retired its “Ghibli”—will be withdrawn in the coming years, reinforcing the urgency of accelerating the transition to the Gripen as the core combat platform.
The F-X2 program, through which Brazil initially acquired 36 Gripen E/Fs, was presented as a historic technological leap for the FAB. However, budgetary difficulties and project complexity resulted in successive delays: what was expected in 2014 to be completed in just four years is now extended until 2032. According to official data, the program’s cost has increased by 13%, equivalent to the value of six additional aircraft. In this context, incorporating used Gripen C/Ds appears as an intermediate solution to sustain capabilities, though no final decision has been made.
Negotiations with Sweden have taken on a strategic character. Beyond the Gripen program’s progress, Sweden’s Air Force confirmed the purchase of four Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft. In parallel, discussions have reopened on the possibility of the FAB complementing its fleet with second-hand Gripen C/Ds. This solution would allow the fleet to expand without immediately committing an excessive volume of budgetary resources.
The FAB has already relied on transitional solutions in the past. Between 2006 and 2013, it operated 12 second-hand Mirage 2000s acquired from France, which covered the country’s central air defense until new fighters arrived. Today, the main concern is to avoid prolonged operational gaps in a regional scenario where Brazil seeks to maintain its leadership in combat aviation.
Despite financial and logistical challenges, the introduction of the Gripen E/F represents a qualitative leap for the FAB. These aircraft incorporate AESA radar, advanced electronic warfare systems, Link BR2 data link, and the ability to employ the Meteor missile, granting Brazil an unprecedented beyond-visual-range combat capability in South America. In this sense, the potential incorporation of Gripen C/Ds would be purely transitional but critical to ensuring operational continuity until the program reaches full maturity in the next decade.
*Images used for illustrative purposes
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