At a ceremony attended by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a second assembly facility for the Saab Gripen E fighter was formally opened on May 9 at Embraer's military aircraft manufacturing complex in Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil, fulfilling a commitment to producing 15 of the 36 fighters ordered by the Brazilian air force in the country. As neighbouring countries consider purchasing new fighters, the opening of the production line establishes Gripen production in South America, and the Brazilian government begins preliminary discussions on a second batch of aircraft from Saab, with proposals for additional work scope to Embraer among the negotiating points.
"As a natural evolution of this relationship, we hope that we can soon together expand our business into new markets," stated Bosco da Costa Jr., president and CEO of Embraer Defence & Security. Saab has decided to collaborate with Embraer to offer the C-390 Millennium to the Swedish air force to replace an outdated fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130s, and it is open to manufacturing more Gripens outside of South America from the newly opened production base in Brazil. "We want Brazil to become an export hub for Latin America and potentially other regions," said Saab President and CEO Micael Johansson.
Embraer intends to begin deploying F-39E fighters from Gaviao Peixoto in 2025. Meanwhile, Saab's initial assembly factory in Linkoping, Sweden, will continue to deliver F-39Es and two-seat F-39F Gripens to the Brazilian air force. On March 5, two more F-39Es arrived in Brazil. Saab also manufactures Gripen aerostructures in a site in Sao Paulo, as well as operating the Gripen Flight Test Centre in Gaviao Peixoto and the Gripen Design and Development Network in Sao Jose dos Campos.