be the first in Latin America to have its own supersonic combat aircraft

In 1969, Brazil made a decision that many considered excessive for a developing country: create a state company called Embraer to manufacture their own aircraft. More than half a century later, that bet has given rise to third largest manufacturer aerospace industry in the world, only behind Boeing and Airbus, and already one of the most advanced aerospace industries outside of the traditional great powers.

A milestone beyond defense. Brazil has celebrated the output of the production line first supersonic fighter assembled in its territory, an event that far transcends the military sphere. What is truly relevant is not only the arrival of a new aircraft to the ranks of the Brazilian Air Force, but the fact that a Latin American country has reached an industrial level which for decades seemed reserved for a very small group of powers.

In a region accustomed to importing advanced combat systems, Brazil has managed to join to an extremely exclusive club in which the ability to manufacture supersonic aircraft is as important as ownership of the aircraft themselves.

The road to the Brazilian Gripen. The Gripen program began with contract signed in 2014 between Brazil and the Swedish Saab for the acquisition of 36 aircraft, but from the beginning the objective went far beyond purchasing airplanes. The agreement included technology transfer, training of engineers and direct participation of Embraer in the manufacturing and assembly of the devices.

A decade later, the result is visible in Gavião Peixoto, where the first Gripen E has left the factory built on Brazilian soil. Although the design remains Swedish, the process has allowed the development of industrial capabilities that did not previously exist in the country and that would hardly have been acquired through a simple purchase of foreign material.

Enter the most difficult club in aeronautics. Building a commercial airplane is a complex task. Building a modern fighter aircraft is one of the industrial activities more demanding of the planet. In fact, only one small group of countries has the ability to design and manufacture supersonic fighters from scratch, including the United States, France, Russia, China and Sweden.

Brazil is not yet part of that circle of independent designers, but it has achieved something that no other Latin American country had achieved: locally produce a fighter front-line capable of operating in the most advanced scenarios of modern aerial warfare. That difference may seem subtle on paper, but it represents a gigantic leap for the region’s technology industry.

Much more than a plane. The Gripen also represents a bet for technological sovereignty. The ability to assemble, maintain and modernize devices within the country reduces external dependencies and strengthens the operational autonomy of the Brazilian armed forces.

At the same time, the project has promoted the creation of specialized knowledgenew supply chains and an industrial base capable of participating in increasingly sophisticated aerospace programs. The same impulse is behind other Brazilian strategic projects, such as the transport plane KC-390 or naval programs developed with foreign technology but growing national participation.

Aerospace power. The true meaning of this program It is not measured solely in the number of aircraft or military capabilities. It is measured in the position that Brazil is beginning to occupy within the global industrial map. While much of Latin America remains dependent on the export of raw materials or the import of advanced technology, Brazil is building an industry capable of participating in some of the most complex and profitable sectors in the world.

The departure of first assembled Gripen in Brazilian territory symbolizes precisely that: the moment in which the country stops being only a buyer of defense technology to become one of its producers. There is no doubt, it may never arouse the same passion as a football World Cup, but for the industrial history of the region it will probably be an even more exceptional achievement.

Image | Embraer

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