Last week the last class of operational pilots responsible for the deployment of the F-39 Gripen in the 1st Air Defense Group (1st GDA) of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), concluded the Delta Conversion Training at the Gripen Centre in Sweden. The course, conducted by the Swedish Air Force’s Phoenix Squadron, is divided into two stages. Conversion Training, with a duration of 11 weeks and 50 flights per pilot, covers basic operation of the fighter jet in both solo and formation missions during day and night periods. Combat Readiness Training includes 25 flights over approximately nine weeks, exploring air-to-air combat capabilities of the fighter, including use of missiles, cannons, and the human-machine interface, one of the main features of Gripen.
“The Phoenix Squadron is dedicated to the training of Gripen pilots, and we are equipped appropriately for that, including flight simulators,” says Major Richard Carlqvist, commander of the Phoenix Squadron. “The Brazilian pilots are highly trained and come here with extensive operational experience, both from the F-5M and AMX units. They quickly learned about the operation, configuration, and flying of Gripen.”
The Gripen Centre serves as a hub for training pilots who will fly Gripen, both from foreign nations and the Swedish Air Force itself. Throughout the course, students train on Gripen C/D, with single and twin-seater configurations respectively. Despite being a different Gripen fighter than that acquired by Brazil, this experience is essential as it helps pilots understand the system, operational mode, and flight controls, considering the similarity in some aspects between these different Gripens.
Dorothee Frank, Head of editorial team
