The integration and interoperability between Saab’s new Gripen E fighters and Embraer’s KC-390 Millennium transport aircraft have reached a new milestone. This follows confirmation from both companies that the aerial refueling test flights have been completed, certifying this capability for both platforms, with support throughout the process from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).
In recent years, Saab and Embraer have been strengthening their industrial partnership driven by the Gripen E and the KC-390 programs. Conducting the flight-test campaign to certify air-refueling capability is an essential step, as the new Gripen E is in the process of becoming the main and most modern combat platform for the air forces of Brazil and Sweden. A similar transformation is taking place with the KC-390 in the transport segment, especially following Stockholm’s confirmation of new aircraft purchases.
The certification flights took place at Embraer’s facilities in Gavião Peixoto, home to the new Gripen Flight Test Center, and were coordinated by the Brazilian Air Force’s Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA).
The campaign involved pilots and engineers from Embraer, Saab, and the FAB, and had two primary objectives. First, “to qualify the Gripen E as a receiver for aerial refueling, a key step to validate the fighter’s performance, stability, and structural integrity throughout the operation,” as Embraer noted in its official statement. Second, “to verify the compatibility of both aircraft throughout the KC-390’s flight envelope, enabling refueling at high speed in both daytime and nighttime conditions.”
It is also important to highlight the relevance of this certification for the future incorporation of the KC-390 into the Swedish Air Force, which selected the Brazilian transport aircraft to replace its aging C-130 Hercules fleet, positioning the platform as the future backbone of its tactical airlift capabilities.
For this reason, the results of the certification campaign will be submitted to the Swedish Military Aviation Authority (SE-MAA) for evaluation and analysis to validate them and ensure that the aircraft meet the required international standards. This is especially relevant given that the C-390 is also being adopted by other European air forces, several of which are NATO members, such as the Netherlands, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic.
Official statements
“This important milestone confirms the KC-390’s unparalleled qualities as a tanker aircraft and further strengthens our partnership with Saab and the Brazilian Air Force. In addition, the KC-390’s unique multi-mission capability, which allows the aircraft to be converted into a tanker in just a few hours, provides unmatched flexibility to air forces worldwide,” said Walter Pinto Júnior, COO of Embraer Defense & Security.
“This achievement reflects the high level of integration among the teams involved. Verifying aerial refueling is a highly significant technical milestone for our business, as it demonstrates that the Gripen E has reached a new level of operational reach. The success of this campaign further reinforces the strategic partnership between Brazil and Sweden, as well as Brazil’s role within the global Gripen program ecosystem,” emphasized Mikael Olsson, Saab’s Head of Flight Test.
“The verification of aerial refueling between the KC-390 and the F-39 Gripen represents the success of a cooperation that transcends borders. It is the result of a joint effort combining Swedish technology, Brazilian engineering, and the operational excellence of the Brazilian Air Force,” stated Air Force Colonel George Luiz Guedes de Oliveira.
Photos: Embraer.
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