Swedish defense manufacturer Saab has completed the maiden flight of the Gripen F, placing the two-seat version of its latest-generation fighter into airborne testing ahead of delivery to the Brazilian Air Force. The aircraft took off from Saab's airfield in Linköping, Sweden, at 09:40 local time and remained airborne for a total flight duration of 40 minutes.
The inaugural flight was crewed by Saab chief test pilot Jakob Högberg alongside Brazilian Air Force test pilot Lieutenant Colonel Aviator Abdon de Rezende Vasconcelos. The sortie successfully verified the operation of the fighter's core onboard systems and provided an initial evaluation of its baseline flight performance characteristics.
Based on the single-seat Gripen E, the two-seat Gripen F retains full operational combat capabilities while accommodating a second crew member. The aircraft is designed to accelerate pilot conversion training without removing its operational mission capacity, while also supporting complex missions where distributing workload across two crew members provides an operational advantage.
The initial flight marks the start of a comprehensive airborne test campaign conducted by Saab's Flight Test Center in Sweden. The test program will begin with production acceptance sorties before progressively expanding the aircraft's operational flight envelope across speed, altitude, G-load, and angle of attack, alongside evaluating tactical systems and rear-cockpit functionality.
Brazil is the launch customer for the Gripen F and an active participant in its joint development under a strategic technology-transfer agreement with Sweden. More than 350 Brazilian engineers, technicians, and pilots have completed training in development, production, flight testing, and maintenance. Saab has not yet specified an official delivery date for the first Gripen F.
