The Brazilian Air Force is in talks to purchase 24 used Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets from the United States government, a ranking Brazilian officer informed Janes in early June 2024.
The Janes report indicated that the negotiations regarding the potential purchase of used F-16s are currently in the early stages. However, the Brazilian Air Force plans to make a decision quickly, potentially by the end of 2024. The
Potential changes underway
The news about the potential purchase of used F-16s comes as the Brazilian Air Force prepares to replace some of its aging fighter jets.
Photo: USAF
According to the 2024 World Air Forces, the Brazilian Air Force currently operates a combat aircraft fleet of 42 AMXs, 40 Northrop F-5EMs,30 Embraer EMB 314 (locally designated A-29) Super Tucanos, and six Saab Gripen E jets.
The Brazilian Air Force ordered 36 Gripens in 2014, amounting to $5.4 billion, with delivery expected by 2027. There were plans for further Gripens acquisitions, but due to the lack of funding, the country’s Air Force is now exploring cheaper options to replace its aging fighter jets, as revealed by Janes.
It is worth noting that the first Gripens E fighters will equip the 1º Grupo de Defesa Aérea (1º GDA) in Anápolis. However, the Air Force has not yet decided where the remainder of the Gripens order will go. The new Gripens are reportedly expected to be assigned to a unit currently utilizing F-5 fighters.
Additionally, the Brazilian Air Force is preparing to retire its fleet of AMX fighters with no new replacements lined up, which is likely driving the potential purchase of used F-16s from the US government.
A collaborative effort with Embraer
In a recent collaborative effort, the Brazilian Air Force and Embraer launched a joint initiative to explore possibilities for an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) configuration by adapting the country’s existing Embraer KC-390 Millennium tanker aircraft.
Photo: Affonso Martins | Shutterstock
The Brazilian Air Force and the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer will use their current operational platforms, such as the KC-390 aircraft, for ISR missions. The collaboration will explore how Embraer platforms can be adapted to address changing challenges and advancements in technology. In a statement, Lieutenant-Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, Commander of the Brazilian Air Force, said:
“The Brazilian Air Force constantly monitors its ability to fulfill its missions completely in the current context, while also looking at future challenges and the evolution of technologies. Studying the adherence and adaptability of Embraer platforms to the future challenges of these missions is an expected way to maximize commonality and technological autonomy.”
According to the 2024 World Air Forces data, the country’s Air Force currently operates six Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft. In 2014, the Air Force ordered 28 KC-390s. However, it shrank its order to 22 units in 2021. Brazilian officials had been looking to shrink the order even more, to 15 units, but ultimately agreed to trim the order to 19.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section below.