Following the announcement in October that a $5.8 billion contract had been signed for the first batch of 36 aircraft, an air force representative confirmed that the full requirement will be for 108 airframes.
The Gripen will initially replace Dassault Mirage 2000C fighters that have already been retired, and eventually the Northrop F-5EM and Alenia/Embraer A-1M aircraft that are still in service.
The 108 will be delivered in three batches, and although it has not yet been decided how many of these will be single-seater and how many will be two-seater aircraft, under the terms of the October contract eight of the first batch of 36 will be two-seat variants.
Brazil has been in discussions with the US Navy regarding the ideal mix of single- and two-seater aircraft that the force needs, plus it has been talking to the South African air force, which also operates the Gripen.
Fifteen of the first batch will be wholly built in Brazil, while the other 21 will be made by Brazilian and Swedish engineers.
The Gripen will also have the indigenous-built Mectron MAR-1 air-to-surface/air-to-air anti-radiation missile on board.
flightglobal
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