Sweden and Brazil sign memorandum of understanding in Natal to expand defense cooperation

On Saturday, a memorandum of understanding was signed in Brazil between the defense ministers of Sweden and Brazil, Pål Jonson and José Múcio, in Natal. This marks the beginning of negotiations between the involved parties.

Jonson remarked, “It’s clear that we are talking about billion-dollar amounts, but I don’t want to preempt the upcoming negotiations. Obviously, there are still steps to be taken, but important progress has been made today. There is a broad consensus from both the Brazilian and Swedish sides.”

In 2014, Saab, the manufacturer of the Gripen fighter jet, signed a contract with Brazil for the purchase of 36 Jas Gripen E aircraft. This contract is set to be expanded by 25 percent, adding another nine aircraft to the order. So far, eight jets have been delivered to Brazil.

Mattias Rådström, press officer at Saab, commented via email, “We have noted these developments, and of course, it’s gratifying for Saab and Sweden. We know that Brazil is very satisfied with the Gripen as a fighter jet, and we look forward to continuing discussions.”

The aircraft currently being discussed for transport are of the Embraer C-390 type, which are manufactured by the Brazilian company Embraer.