AeroTime
• Clement Charpentreau
Saab’s two-seat Gripen F completed its maiden flight from Linköping on Aug. 28, flying for approximately 40 minutes. The milestone advances the Brazil–Sweden fighter program as Saab renews its Canadian sales effort and positions the aircraft for future operations alongside drones and rapid software upgrades.
SAAB
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The Gripen F, the two-seat variant of Saab’s Gripen E, has flown for the first time from Linköping, Sweden, with a Brazilian Air Force pilot aboard. The milestone begins flight testing of the fighter developed with Brazilian industry ahead of delivery to Brazil.
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Saab’s two-seat Gripen F completed its maiden flight from Linköping on Aug. 28, flying for approximately 40 minutes. The milestone advances the Brazil–Sweden fighter program as Saab renews its Canadian sales effort and positions the aircraft for future operations alongside drones and rapid software upgrades.
Saab detailed plans for Sweden’s future fighter technology demonstrators at an air force show, where it also displayed a mock-up of an autonomous collaborative platform. The initiative points to Saab’s work on next-generation combat-air technologies and autonomous systems alongside crewed fighter development.
Australian regional operator Regional Express is changing departure procedures after incidents in which Saab 340B turboprops drifted from their planned course shortly after takeoff. Pilots were required to take manual control and restore the flightpath, prompting renewed emphasis on verifying waypoint entries before departure.
Saab is continuing to pursue a Gripen E sale to Canada and has promised to establish a domestic final assembly line if it wins an Ottawa contract. The offer comes as fighter demand grows and Saab prepares to increase production rates.
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A Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighter jet crashed at or near Szolnok military base during an emergency landing after a reported onboard computer malfunction. The pilot ejected and was transported to Budapest in stable condition; no civilian casualties or damage outside the base were reported, and an investigation is underway.
Saab says customers are showing emerging interest in combining its business-jet-based GlobalEye airborne early-warning platform with General Atomics’ LoyalEye system, fitted to the MQ-9B SkyGuardian uncrewed aircraft. The proposed pairing would bring manned and uncrewed AEW capabilities into a single offering.
Sweden’s air force has successfully test-fired a Taurus KEPD 350 long-range cruise missile from a Saab Gripen fighter for the first time. The terrain-following weapon is designed to penetrate dense air defenses, marking a notable integration milestone for Sweden’s Gripen-based strike capability.
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