The purchase of 36 fighter planes by the Brazilian government, at a cost of 4.5 billion dollars, is in the sights of the US Department of Justice; know the capabilities of the aircraft
BRASILIA – The Swedish F-39 Gripen E/F fighters, purchased by Brazil in a contract with the Swedish aeronautical company Saab in 2014, cost the public coffers 4.5 billion dollars (26 billion reais in current values). The plane is considered the most modern in service in Latin America and covers the distance between the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in 12 minutes.
The F-39 Gripen E/F can reach a maximum speed of 2,400 kilometers per hour. In other words, almost double the speed of sound, which under natural climatic and pressure conditions is 1,234 kilometers per hour.
Under its wings the Gripen can carry up to 7.2 tons of weapons. One of these weapons is the Meteor missile, capable of hitting targets located within a maximum radius of 200 kilometers. Another is the Iris-T, used to hit objects up to 30 kilometers away.
In addition to the high speed, the maximum altitude of the F-39 Gripen E/F is 16,000 meters above sea level. By comparison, the four-engine Airbus A380, recognized for its performance on long-distance commercial flights, can reach 15,700.
The contract, signed in 2014 between Saab and the government of former president Dilma Rousseff (PT), involved the purchase of 36 fighter jets for $4.5 billion. The unit price of each aircraft was $125 million (R$898 million).
The acquisition is in the sights of the US Department of Justice, which has subpoenaed Saab to provide information on the purchase. In Brazil, the current president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) was denounced by the Federal Public Ministry in 2016, on charges of influence peddling in hiring. The criminal case against the PT member was blocked by then-minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Ricardo Lewandowski in February 2023. Lula has always denied having participated in the negotiations of the contract, signed when he was no longer president.
The autonomy of the aircraft varies. Equipped with armaments, it can reach up to 1,100 kilometers, the equivalent of the distance between Anápolis (GO), where the fighters of the 1st Air Defense Group (GDA) are stationed and Salvador, in Bahia. With the empty fighter, the maximum distance is 4 thousand kilometers, that is, from Anápolis to Panama, in Central America.
The Gripen has the ability to detect surface and ground targets at the same time, using all available sensors on the aircraft. The information from these sensors is clearly presented in a display modern, which is touch sensitive and displays key flight data.
The Gripen’s radar is an AESA (active electronic scanning) model and allows simultaneous detection of targets positioned at high angles. This action cannot be performed on mechanical equipment. A passive infrared tracking system means that the tracked object does not know it is being tracked.
Another modern function of the Swedish fighter is an encryption system that can be shared among pilots of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). This way, the military can confidentially share target information.
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Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
