"The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) marked a new operational milestone, deploying its F-39 Gripen fighter jets for the first time on a live air-defence alert mission from Anapolis Air Base (BAAN) as it steps up surveillance and protection of national airspace. Footage released on Tuesday shows the F-39s conducting air-defence manoeuvres and taking on fuel mid-air from a KC-390 Millennium tanker - a demanding evolution that extends range and time on station. The mission keeps aircraft and crews on round-the-clock standby, ready to launch within minutes in response to any threat or suspected violation of Brazilian airspace. "The F-39 Gripen aircraft is integrated into the Brazilian Aerospace Defence System, ensuring the sovereignty of our airspace," said Andre Navarro de Lima Guimaraes, lieutenant colonel aviator. The F-39's introduction marks a technological and strategic upgrade for Brazil, as the aircraft gradually replaces older fighters and boosts the Air Force's ability to respond to intrusions and other airspace emergencies. The alert mission was coordinated by the Aerospace Operations Command (COMAE) and executed by the 1st Air Defence Group's Jaguar Squadron, the FAB unit responsible for operating the F-39 Gripen. Before deploying the alert system, the FAB completed key certifications by the end of 2025 to bring the F-39 into full operational service. These certifications included air-to-air refuelling with the KC-390 Millennium, a live launch of the long-range Meteor air-to-air missile, and the aircraft's first aerial cannon firing over Brazilian territory. Brazil has received a dozen of the 36 jets ordered so far, with deliveries now expected to run to 2032. The F-39 Gripen, known in Brazil as the F-39E/F, is Saab's single-engine, multirole supersonic fighter. It combines modern sensors such as an AESA radar with a delta-wing and canard design, and is built to be agile, cheaper to run, and easier to maintain than many older jets. The aircraft can also operate from shorter runways and more austere air bases."