Brazil plans to expand its Saab Gripen fighter fleet by adding 20 more aircraft, bringing the total planned number from 36 to 56. The agreement framework, described as a heads of agreement, provides for Brazil’s final assembly of the additional Gripen jets through an existing industrial partnership that has been in place for about 12 years between Saab and Embraer. Under the arrangement, Brazil remains the only country outside Sweden licensed to produce Gripen fighters. The aircraft are set to be assembled at Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto industrial complex in São Paulo state. The reporting indicates the new batch will be integrated into Brazil’s existing Gripen procurement plan, extending the fleet size rather than replacing earlier orders. Overall, the deal focuses on expanding production and assembly capacity within Brazil, while keeping Saab’s role tied to the Gripen program and the industrial partnership framework. No changes to the broader program’s purpose or operational role are specified in the available excerpts, beyond the increase in aircraft numbers and the location and structure of assembly.