Understand why Gripen fighters came by ship to Brazil

The first two Swedish Gripen fighter jets for operational use in the FAB (Brazilian Air Force) arrived this Friday night (1st) in Brazil and aroused curiosity: many people wondered why they didn’t come flying.

The two planes that docked in Navegantes (SC) are part of an order for 36 units by the Brazilian government. Understand the choice of means of transport below.



Why didn’t you come flying?

The Gripen E/F is a new fighter, based on the old Gripen A/B/C/D, but with many modifications, and has not yet been homologated by any aeronautical authority. With this, it becomes more difficult for countries to accept the overflight, even more so when dealing with a military aircraft.

Another obstacle would be the distance and the number of countries flown over – eight air spaces – in a total of 10 thousand kilometers of distance.

In turn, the maximum distance the Gripen could fly without being refueled, in the transfer configuration (without weapons) and with two auxiliary tanks under the wings, is 4,000 km, requiring at least two stops along the way.

The Gripen, like any modern fighter, is fueled with JP-8, the military aviation kerosene available only at air bases, not civilian airports.

Why hasn’t it been replenished?

Refueling in flight to save stopovers raises again the problem of requiring at least one more plane in the operation, increasing costs and requiring more authorizations. In addition, the FAB itself is still not used to in-flight refueling of the Gripen using the KC-390.

And an aircraft carrier?

Another possibility would be to rent an aircraft carrier to transport the fighters, given that the Brazilian Navy does not have an aircraft carrier, but a helicopter carrier.

Gripen has a naval version planned, but nothing concrete about its development has been released, as none of its operators have any firm plans to buy an aircraft carrier. Therefore, the current version would have to be placed by cranes on the deck.

Such a means of transport was used by the US with F-5 fighter jets, delivered en masse to South Vietnam, but with a larger quantity and more urgent need. In addition, the bureaucracy and costs would be enormous.

Why Navegantes and not Rio, Natal or Santos?

Although these three cities are much larger than Navegantes, their ports are not so close to the airports.

Portonave, where the Gripen NG landed, is less than 3 kilometers from Navegantes International Airport, with a favorable route through the city streets.

All other Brazilian airports from which Gripen could depart are far from ports. FAB and SAAB have been taking precautions, and the less the Gripen walks on the streets, gets into traffic and is exposed, the better.

Therefore, the cheapest and most viable option was to take the plane through the streets of Navegantes, which should happen again with the arrival of the next ones produced abroad.