The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) reached a new milestone in its operational history with the first Air Defense Alert mission carried out by its modern F-39E Gripen fighters. The deployment, conducted from Anápolis Air Base (Brazil), marks a new chapter in the consolidation of the weapons system after achieving Full Operational Capability. This achievement reaffirms the FAB’s deterrent power and represents the maturity of a strategic program designed to strengthen national sovereignty and modernize Brazilian combat aviation.
The mission was coordinated by the Aerospace Operations Command (COMAE) and executed by the First Air Defense Group (1º GDA) “Jaguar,” responsible for air defense operations and the protection of the federal capital. In this regard, Lieutenant Colonel Aviator André Navarro de Lima Guimarães, commander of Anápolis Air Base, stated: “The F-39 begins Brazilian aerospace defense alert service. It is ready to take off within minutes if activated, guaranteeing our Force’s fundamental mission: the defense of national airspace sovereignty.”
The alert service, active 24 hours a day throughout the year, involves an immediate reaction protocol to any aircraft that fails to comply with air traffic rules. According to Lieutenant Colonel Aviator Gustavo de Oliveira Pascotto, operations coordinator at BAAN, pilots remain equipped and constantly available, performing rapid system checks, establishing contact with control centers, and preparing the aircraft for takeoff within minutes. The entry into service of the F-39 in this critical role confirms the system’s maturity and its full interoperability with the country’s air defense networks.
The incorporation of the Gripen E into air defense missions followed a series of technical milestones achieved throughout 2025 that certified its Full Operational Capability (FOC). Among them were the integration of the aerial refueling system with the Embraer KC-390 Millennium, the first launch of a long-range air-to-air MBDA Meteor missile, and the first live-fire exercise with the 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon. Together, these tests demonstrated the F-39E’s ability to sustain long-range missions, detect and neutralize threats beyond visual range (BVR), and operate in real combat scenarios. At the beginning of 2026, Operation Thor further expanded its operational spectrum by validating the release of guided and unguided bombs.
During Operation Thor, conducted at Natal Air Base, the experimental Gripen FAB 4100 successfully validated the release of air-to-ground ordnance under the supervision of the Flight Test and Research Institute (IPEV). The campaign, coordinated jointly with Saab, made Brazil the first operator in the world to carry out drops of Mk-84 and laser-guided Lizard 500 bombs from a Gripen. The tests, monitored in real time, verified aircraft stability and release accuracy under different flight conditions. Additionally, ground refueling using the FARP (Forward Arming and Refueling Point) procedure and aerial refueling certification with the KC-390 Millennium—carried out during Operation Samaúma—confirmed full interoperability between both platforms, expanding the fighter’s autonomy and strategic reach.
With the F-39 Gripen fully integrated into the aerospace defense system, the Brazilian Air Force reaches a new level of operational capability and strategic deterrence. The program, resulting from the F-X2 Project, not only modernizes national air defense but also promotes extensive technology and knowledge transfer to the Brazilian industry. After successfully completing all certification phases—from Meteor missile launches and cannon firing exercises to Operation Thor and aerial and ground refueling tests—the Gripen E consolidates itself as the central pillar of Brazil’s air power.
Image credits: Brazilian Air Force.
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