Saab presents update on Gripen E programme for Brazil

April 2019 news defense aviation aerospace air force industry
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Saab presented the latest developments in the Gripen Programme for Brazil at a press briefing during the LAAD International Defence & Security Exhibition 2019 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Saab presents update on Gripen E programme for Brazil Saab Gripen E (Picture source Saab)

Saab presented several achievements during the past year, as well as an insight of upcoming milestones. “The last year has been successful for the Brazilian Gripen programme. Among other things, we have installed both the Wide Area Display (WAD) and the engine on the first Gripen E for Brazil. This year, the first aircraft to Brazil will be delivered to start the flight test campaign in Linköping, Sweden”, says Mikael Franzén, head of business unit Gripen Brazil, within Saab business area Aeronautics.

Last year the Swedish Air Force decided to equip their fighters with the WAD, the Head-Up Display (HUD) and the Helmet Mounted Display (HMD), developed by the Brazilian company AEL. “The Swedish and the Brazilian Gripen fighters will have the same configuration for the displays, harmonizing the programmes. This means great savings to aircraft maintenance and in future software development. This is really a good example of the successful collaboration between Saab and the Brazilian defence industry”, says Mikael Franzén.

The transfer of technology programme continues to advance. So far, 165 Brazilian engineers have been trained in Sweden and completed their technology transfer programmes. Most of them are now working at the Gripen Design and Development Network (GDDN) in the state of São Paulo. GDDN was designed to serve as the technological development centre for Gripen in Brazil for Saab, Embraer and other Brazilian partner beneficiaries. GDDN is the central hub for the Gripen development work in Brazil in areas such as vehicle systems, airframe design and systems installation, system integration, avionics, human-machine interface and communications. At GDDN, Gripen F, the two-seated version of Gripen, is being developed. Currently, there are 120 engineers working at GDDN, in a great co-operation between Brazilians and Swedes.