Saab and Embraer, in partnership with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), have completed the certification flight test campaign for in-flight refueling between the F-39 Gripen E and the KC-390 Millennium. The milestone deepens the connection between Brazil’s next-generation fighter and its homegrown multi-mission transport.
The campaign, known as Operation Samaúma, was carried out at Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto facility, home to the Gripen Flight Test Centre. Coordinated by the FAB’s Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA), the tests brought together approximately 40 engineers and test pilots from Saab, Embraer, and the FAB.
The partners evaluated a range of speeds, altitudes, and flight configurations. Both aircraft utilize fly-by-wire controls, which the manufacturers argue contributed to stable handling during fuel transfer. The KC-390 produced a favorable wake, and the Gripen E remained responsive in close formation.
Validating the pairing
The test campaign had two goals. The first was to certify the Gripen E as a receiver, confirming its stability and structural integrity when taking fuel from the KC-390’s hose-and-drogue system. The second was to verify compatibility across the KC-390’s full refueling envelope, including high-speed transfers during day and night operations.
Embraer Defense & Security COO Walter Pinto Júnior said the milestone confirms the KC-390’s strengths as a tanker and highlighted its ability to be converted from transport to tanker in a few hours. Saab’s Head of Flight Testing, Mikael Olsson, said the trials show the Gripen E has reached “a new level of operational reach.”
Certification steps ahead
The Swedish Military Aviation Authority (SE-MAA) will now review the refueling data as part of its certification of the Gripen E. Brazil’s Industrial Promotion and Coordination Institute (IFI), part of the DCTA, will conduct its own airworthiness work on behalf of the FAB.
Earlier this year, the FAB also validated a forward arming and refueling point concept, pairing the KC-390 and Gripen E on the ground, which supports distributed operations from remote locations.
Strategic value for Brazil and Sweden
The new capability strengthens the established industrial partnership between Embraer and Saab. Brazil is assembling and integrating the Gripen E/F locally, while Sweden has signaled its intent to acquire the KC-390 to renew its airlift fleet. Brazil has also indicated interest in expanding its Gripen order. Certifying the two aircraft as a fully compatible tanker-receiver pair gives both manufacturers a stronger joint export pitch.
