By Gabriel Araujo GAVIAO PEIXOTO, Brazil, March 25 (Reuters) - Brazil became the first Latin American nation to build a supersonic fighter jet on Wednesday when it unveiled the first Gripen plane
Brazil Unveils First Domestically Assembled Supersonic Fighter Jet
Milestone in Latin American Military Aviation
By Gabriel Araujo
Historic Unveiling of the Gripen Fighter Jet
GAVIAO PEIXOTO, Brazil, March 25 (Reuters) - Brazil became the first Latin American nation to build a supersonic fighter jet on Wednesday when it unveiled the first Gripen plane assembled in the country.
Background: Brazil's Strategic Choice
Brazil first signed the contract for Saab's Gripen in 2014, choosing it over Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet and the Rafale, made by France's Dassault, to replace its aging fleet of fighter jets.
Joining the Ranks of Global Powers
The country joins Western powers such as the United States and France, as well as major developing economies including Russia, India and China, in building a supersonic fighter jet.
Technology Transfer and Local Production
Saab and Embraer Partnership
Its deal with Swedish defence group Saab included the production of 15 of the 36 jets under contract at Brazilian planemaker Embraer's Gaviao Peixoto plant in Sao Paulo state under a technology transfer agreement.
Export Potential and Regional Impact
Saab said it expects to use the Brazilian production line as an export hub, a prospect bolstered by an agreement last year for neighboring Colombia to acquire Gripen fighters.
Significance for Saab
"This is the first time since 1937, when Saab was founded, that a fighter aircraft is manufactured outside Sweden," said Saab CEO Micael Johansson.
Brazil's Expanding Military Aviation Ambitions
Embraer's Growing Influence
The Gripen production line underscores Brazil's growing ambitions in military aviation, with Embraer's C-390 Millennium cargo jet gaining traction among European buyers.
(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Brad Haynes and Alexander Smith)
