Embraer and Saab, in cooperation with the Brazilian Air Force, successfully completed the full flight-test campaign certifying air-to-air refueling between the F-39E Gripen and the KC-390 Millennium, the companies announced on November 14, 2025. The testing was carried out at Embraer’s facility in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo.
The certification consolidates the Gripen E / KC-390 duo as the operational core of the FAB’s combat airpower and force projection capability. With the ability to refuel the Gripen in flight, the KC-390 significantly extends the fighters’ mission radius and endurance — a critical advantage for patrolling Brazil’s vast airspace, particularly over the Amazon.
The pair has also been tested in integrated missions across Brazil, confirming that the KC-390 can sustain Gripen operations in remote regions without requiring fully equipped forward bases — a key consideration for a country of Brazil’s geographic scale.
The KC-390 Millennium, developed by Embraer in partnership with the FAB, is the largest military aircraft ever designed in the Southern Hemisphere. It carries 26 tonnes of payload, cruises at Mach 0.80, and is capable of operating from unpaved runways — attributes that make it uniquely suited to Brazil’s operational environment.
