Following recent certifications that consolidate their induction into service, the Brazilian Air Force’s Saab F-39E Gripen fighters have officially achieved Full Operational Capability (FOC). This milestone, confirmed toward the end of 2025, represents the maturation of a weapons system whose main subsystems are already in service and have been effectively tested.
Full Operational Capability is underpinned by three fundamental milestones achieved throughout the year: certification of aerial refueling capability with Embraer KC-390 Millennium aircraft, the first live launch of the MBDA Meteor air-to-air missile, and the first air gunnery exercise using the aircraft’s cannon. These trials, coordinated among Embraer, Saab, and the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA), confirm the technological maturity reached by the Gripen system and its full integration into Brazil’s air defense framework.
The first milestone was achieved during Operação Samaúma, conducted in Gavião Peixoto (São Paulo state), where aerial refueling between the Gripen E and the KC-390 was certified. This test decisively expanded the F-39’s operational range, allowing it to cover the entire national territory and sustain long-range missions in areas of strategic interest. Verifying compatibility between both aircraft represented a crucial technical step and confirmed the Gripen’s ability to operate Combat Air Patrol missions with full logistical support from the transport fleet.
Meanwhile, the BVR-X exercise, carried out at Natal Air Base, validated the second milestone: the first live launch of the Meteor air-to-air missile. Considered one of the most advanced systems in the world for beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat, the Meteor provides a significant deterrent capability by combining a variable-thrust ramjet engine with a two-way data link. Its integration into the Gripen E places the Brazilian Air Force at a new level of regional strategic capability, providing the country with a platform capable of neutralizing threats at distances exceeding 150 kilometers.
The third milestone materialized on December 8 at Santa Cruz Air Base, where the F-39E conducted its first air gunnery exercise using the 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon. This phase assessed weapon accuracy, response time to defense alerts, and system effectiveness in realistic scenarios. The test, carried out by the 1st Air Defense Group (1º GDA), confirmed the Gripen’s reliability and the doctrinal consolidation for its operational employment. It also reinforced the participation of national industry, highlighting Akaer’s contribution to the structural development of the gun compartment.
The combination of these three milestones—air-to-air refueling, the Meteor missile launch, and cannon firing—provides the F-39 Gripen system with a new level of technological autonomy and operational capability. The Air Force, together with Embraer and Saab, has successfully fully integrated a modern, interoperable system supported by extensive technology transfer, strengthening the country’s Defense Industrial Base (DIB).
Despite the progress achieved, the F-X2 program maintains a long-term outlook. According to the revised planning, delivery of the 36 Gripen E/F aircraft on order will extend through 2032, under a schedule that includes annual variations in the number of units delivered. Although these delays contrast with the original timelines, the process continues to provide strategic capabilities, industrial knowledge, and technological sovereignty to the Brazilian Air Force.
With the Gripen E reaching full operational capability, the Brazilian Air Force consolidates its position as one of the most modern in the region. Equipped with AESA radar, state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems, and Meteor missiles, the F-39 becomes the cornerstone of the country’s air defense. In this regard, Air Lieutenant-Brigadier Raimundo Nogueira Lopes Neto, Commander of Readiness, stated: “The Gripen brings together all the conditions required to fulfill Brazil’s Air Defense Alert mission, confirming that the country today has a modern, precise vector fully integrated into its aerospace defense systems.”
Image credits: Brazilian Air Force.
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