Brazil will soon commission five F-39 fighters to replace the Northrop F-5EM/FM and A-1 Centauro

The Brazilian Air Force's fighter fleet will expand next week with the addition of five 4.5 generation Gripen JAS 39 fighters from Saab. The version for Brazil is called the F-39.

Here's What We Know

Saab has delivered five F-39 fighters between December 2021 and April 2022. They are stationed at Anapolis Air Base near the capital. All this time the planes have been tested and used to train pilots.

On Dec. 19, the F-39s will officially join the 1st Air Group and begin performing "normal peacetime missions." The unit provides protection and control of the airspace over Brazil's capital city.

The adoption of the F-39 means that the country's Air Force will begin decommissioning Northrop's old fighters. We are talking about the F-5EM/FM, which were modernized by the Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. Also the A-1 Centauro will be dropped.

F-5 / Centauro.

Brazil ordered 28 single-seat and eight two-seat aircraft in 2014, becoming the latest customer for Saab. The Swedish manufacturer has not received a single order for the Gripen in eight years. In April, Brazil increased the batch to 40 planes and wants to order a total of 66 planes for $2.2 billion. As the F-39 arrives, the country's Air Force will retire 45 F-5EM/FM fighters and 35 A-1 Centauro attack aircraft.

Source: Defense News
Image: Wikipedia, Forcaerea, Jetphotos