Swedish aerospace giant Saab has officially unveiled the twin-seat variant of its Gripen E fighter jet, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-running partnership with Brazil and highlighting a growing global trend toward two-seat combat aircraft designed for the evolving demands of modern warfare.
The new aircraft, designated the **Gripen F**, was rolled out on June 2 during a ceremony at Saab’s facilities in Linköping, Sweden. Developed jointly by Saab and Brazilian industry partners, the aircraft represents the latest evolution of the Gripen family and combines advanced combat capabilities with a dedicated training function.
The unveiling comes at a time when several countries are introducing twin-seat variants of their newest fighter platforms. China has fielded the two-seat J-20S stealth fighter, Russia is testing a twin-seat version of the Su-57 Felon, and South Korea has incorporated two-seat variants into its KF-21 Boramae program. Saab’s latest development places the Gripen alongside a broader international movement that sees renewed value in two-crew fighter aircraft in an era increasingly defined by unmanned systems, electronic warfare, and complex network-centric operations.
The Gripen F has been developed primarily to satisfy the operational and training requirements of the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira, FAB), which has played a central role in the aircraft’s design and development.
As the launch customer for the Gripen E/F program, Brazil has become one of Saab’s most important international partners. The South American nation was the first export customer for the Gripen E variant after signing a landmark contract with Saab in October 2014.
The agreement, worth approximately US$5.4 billion, covered the acquisition of 36 Gripen fighters, including 28 single-seat Gripen E aircraft and eight twin-seat Gripen F variants. The deal also included extensive technology transfer provisions, local production capabilities, industrial cooperation, and long-term support arrangements.
Deliveries of Gripen E aircraft began in 2020, and eleven fighters have been delivered so far. In March 2026, Embraer unveiled the first Gripen E aircraft fully produced in Brazil at its Gavião Peixoto facility, underscoring the growing maturity of the country’s aerospace industry.
Brazil’s participation has extended far beyond aircraft assembly. Through one of the most comprehensive transfer-of-technology programs ever undertaken by Saab, hundreds of Brazilian engineers and technicians have received advanced training in fighter aircraft development, systems integration, software engineering, and aeronautical design.
This collaboration has enabled Brazilian industry to contribute directly to the Gripen F program, making the aircraft a product of genuine international co-development rather than a simple export purchase.
“The rollout of Gripen F represents a shared achievement between Saab, Brazilian industry, and the Brazilian Air Force, reflecting the deep trust we have built together over many years,” said Lars Tossman, head of Saab’s Aeronautics business area.
“Developing this aircraft together demonstrates the maturity of this collaboration. It represents not only a highly capable fighter for the Brazilian Air Force, but also the tangible outcome of sustained joint development and shared ambition.”
One of the most notable aspects of the Gripen program is Brazil’s unique position in its operational timeline.
Just as the Brazilian Air Force became the first operator of the Gripen E before the aircraft entered operational service with Sweden, Brazil will also receive the Gripen F ahead of the Swedish Air Force.
In December 2022, the FAB officially declared its first two Gripen E fighters operational. The milestone occurred approximately three years before the aircraft’s expected operationalization within the Swedish Air Force, marking an unprecedented moment in modern military aviation history.
It was the first time a foreign military had operationalized a fighter aircraft before the air force of the nation that designed and manufactured it.
The Gripen F rollout continues this unusual pattern and further demonstrates the strategic importance of Brazil to Saab’s future fighter programs.
Before entering Brazilian service, however, the newly unveiled aircraft will undergo a comprehensive flight-testing campaign. Saab has confirmed that the aircraft will be transferred to the company’s Flight Test Center in Sweden, where a dedicated evaluation and certification program will begin.
According to Saab, the Gripen F has been designed to provide training capability without sacrificing operational effectiveness.
The aircraft retains the same sensors, mission systems, avionics, weapons integration, and flight performance characteristics as the single-seat Gripen E. The primary difference is the addition of a second cockpit that allows an instructor pilot and trainee to fly together in a fully combat-capable aircraft.
Saab argues that this approach significantly improves pilot conversion training by allowing new aviators to gain experience in realistic operational environments rather than relying solely on simulators or less capable training aircraft.
“The addition of a fully independent second cockpit enables instructor-guided missions in a fully operational fighter, giving trainee pilots realistic live mission conditions,” the company stated.
The manufacturer believes this capability will substantially reduce pilot training timelines while simultaneously improving operational readiness.
However, training is only part of the aircraft’s intended mission set.
Saab also emphasizes the operational advantages of having a second crew member during complex combat missions. In modern air warfare, pilots must simultaneously manage radar systems, electronic warfare suites, communications networks, weapons employment, sensor fusion, and data-sharing systems.
By distributing responsibilities between two crew members, the aircraft can potentially operate more effectively in highly contested environments where information overload is becoming an increasingly serious challenge.
The Gripen F’s debut reflects a broader trend reshaping military aviation worldwide.
For much of the past two decades, many air forces favored single-seat fighters, believing advances in automation, sensor fusion, and computing power would eliminate the need for a second crew member.
However, the emergence of manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), drone swarms, advanced electronic warfare, and multi-domain operations has led military planners to reassess that assumption.
South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae program offers one example of this changing mindset.
In January 2026, South Korea announced that the KF-21 had successfully completed its flight-test campaign. The six prototypes accumulated more than 1,600 sorties without a major accident, demonstrating the maturity of the program.
Notably, two of those prototypes were twin-seat variants.
Unlike traditional trainer aircraft, the two-seat KF-21 is intended not only for pilot instruction but also for operational missions requiring a second crew member. Potential roles include controlling collaborative combat aircraft, coordinating drone operations, conducting electronic warfare missions, and managing complex battlefield information.
Significantly, the first production KF-21 rolled out by Korea Aerospace Industries in March was itself a twin-seat version, indicating that Seoul views the configuration as an operational asset rather than merely a training platform.
Russia is pursuing a similar path with its Su-57 Felon stealth fighter.
Images published in recent months appear to show the first twin-seat Su-57 prototype undergoing testing. The aircraft features an extended forward fuselage accommodating a tandem cockpit arrangement.
Russian analysts have suggested that the second crew member could serve as a mission commander responsible for controlling unmanned systems, including the Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B stealth combat drone.
Such an arrangement would allow the pilot to focus on flying and air combat while the second crew member manages unmanned wingmen and coordinates broader tactical activities.
The aircraft could also strengthen Russia’s export prospects.
India, which previously participated in discussions surrounding a joint fifth-generation fighter project based on Russian technology, has long shown interest in two-seat advanced combat aircraft. A twin-seat Su-57 could therefore become an attractive offering in future export campaigns.
China, meanwhile, became the first nation to publicly introduce a twin-seat stealth fighter.
The J-20S variant emerged as a major attraction at the Zhuhai Airshow before later appearing as an operational People’s Liberation Army Air Force asset during China’s V-Day military parade in 2025.
The aircraft has been described as the world’s first operational two-seat stealth fighter and is believed to support a wide range of missions, including advanced training, battle management, drone control, and command-and-control operations.
Military observers view the J-20S as a glimpse into the future of air combat, where fighters may function not only as weapons platforms but also as airborne command centers capable of directing autonomous systems and coordinating distributed forces.
The resurgence of twin-seat fighters reflects a fundamental shift in military aviation doctrine.
Future fighter pilots will likely command formations that include loyal wingman drones, electronic attack platforms, autonomous sensors, and networked weapons. Managing these assets may require dedicated personnel focused solely on mission coordination.
In this environment, the second cockpit becomes more than a training aid. It becomes a force multiplier.
A weapon systems officer can monitor sensors, manage data links, coordinate drone operations, oversee electronic warfare activities, and support tactical decision-making while the pilot concentrates on flying and engaging threats.
Some defense analysts even envision future twin-seat fighters serving as stealthy airborne battle-management platforms or miniature airborne warning and control systems, directing both manned and unmanned assets deep inside contested airspace.
Ironically, the same technological advances that once encouraged militaries to move toward single-seat fighters may now be driving the return of two-seat combat aircraft.
With the rollout of the Gripen F, Saab has positioned itself firmly within this emerging trend. As drone teaming, artificial intelligence, and network-centric warfare become increasingly central to military operations, the second cockpit may once again prove indispensable on the battlefields of the future.
