Brazil is in advanced talks with Sweden to purchase up to 12 second-hand Saab Gripen C/D fighters as a temporary solution while phasing out its aging Northrop F-5s and AMX aircraft. The move mirrors Brazil’s past reliance on second-hand Mirage jets and reflects budget-related delays in the arrival of its long-planned Gripen E/F fleet under the F-X2 program, a key concern for sustaining air defense capabilities.
The discussions were confirmed following Brazilian Air Force Commander Lieutenant Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno’s visit to Stockholm in September 2025. During the visit, he met with Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson and signed a joint declaration on defense cooperation. While the agreement highlighted Sweden’s acquisition of four Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft, it did not explicitly mention the used fighter negotiations. Saab and both governments have refrained from detailed public statements, limiting confirmation to the broader cooperation framework.
