SOURCE: IDRW.ORG TEAM
In a recent interaction with Indian media, Lieutenant Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, Commander of the Brazilian Air Force, revealed that Brazil may consider India’s Tejas fighter jet as a potential replacement for its aging Northrop F-5 fleet, which is set to be retired post-2030. Damasceno acknowledged the need for additional fighter platforms alongside Brazil’s existing Gripen-E jets and expressed interest in the Tejas as a candidate for the role.
Currently, the Brazilian Air Force operates both the F-5 and the Gripen-E. However, as the F-5 approaches the end of its service life, Brazil will need to introduce a new platform to maintain its operational capabilities. Speaking about the search for a successor to the F-5, Damasceno noted, “We will need maybe two more kinds as the F-5 goes. So, while the Gripen remains, the Tejas is one of the options for our second or third fighter plane.”
This statement marks a significant development, as it places India’s Tejas Mk1A and the future Tejas MkII in the running for Brazil’s next-generation fighter acquisition. Both variants of the Tejas are expected to be in production during the timeframe when Brazil will be looking to retire its F-5 fleet, making them timely options for consideration.
The Tejas Mk1A is currently in production and will remain active until around 2032-33. By that time, India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) also aims to have the Tejas MkII in production, further expanding the platform’s capabilities. The Tejas MkII, in particular, is designed with an increased maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of around 17.5 tons, making it a more powerful and capable fighter compared to its predecessor.
For comparison, Brazil’s F-5, which has been in service since the 1970s, has an MTOW of approximately 11 tons. The Tejas Mk1A, with an MTOW of 13.5 tons, offers a significant upgrade over the F-5 in terms of payload capacity and overall performance. The Gripen-E, currently the most advanced fighter in the Brazilian Air Force, boasts an MTOW of 16.5 tons, placing it between the Tejas Mk1A and the more advanced Tejas MkII.
Brazil has been keen on procuring Indian weapons in barter deal with their own firms like Embraer that have bid for IAF’s MTA tender for Transport aircraft that can be made in the country.
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