Saab’s fighter jet is a highlight at CRUZEX 2024, the largest multinational operational training exercise in Latin America, organised by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).
More than two thousand military personnel from Brazil and 15 other countries spanning Latin America, Africa, Europe, and the United States have come together for CRUZEX 2024, one of the biggest operational air exercises in the Southern Hemisphere.
Held from 3 to 15 November at the Natal Air Base in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, the exercise features over 100 combat aircraft. The main highlight of this edition is the debut of the F-39E Gripen in high-complexity scenarios.
“It is a true honour to see Gripen E’s debut at CRUZEX. We have eagerly awaited this moment marking Gripen E’s first participation in a multinational military exercise. We are delighted that this impressive inaugural event is hosted by our valued customer and partner, the Brazilian Air Force,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
As the most advanced fighter in service in Latin America, F-39E Gripen will execute a broad range of tasks in Composite Air Operations (COMAO), where a large number of aircraft with different objectives operate simultaneously against an enemy to saturate its defences, enhancing mission efficiency.
"At CRUZEX, we are acting both as enemy and friendly forces, the latter being our primary role. In this context, we will conduct Offensive Counterair operations (OCA), in which F-39E Gripen will protect friendly forces while they carry out actions within enemy territory, as well as air operations, and Defensive Counterair operations (DCA) aimed at defending against enemy attacks,” explained Lieutenant Colonel Aviator Ramon Lincoln Santos Fórneas, commander of the 1st Air Defence Group (1º GDA), the pioneering unit to operate the Gripen in the Brazilian Air Force.
Since December 2022, the F-39E Gripen has been in operation, showcasing advanced technologies previously unseen in the Brazilian Air Force. Notably, it features the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and the Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST) passive targeting sensor. Together with its exceptional manoeuvrability, performance, communication, navigation, and electronic warfare systems, these sensors establish the F-39E Gripen as a crucial asset for safeguarding Brazilian airspace sovereignty.
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