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Operator profile / Americas

Brazil and the F-5EM

Fifty years of Tigers, three ways of buying them, and an upgrade that kept a 1970s fighter on front-line duty.

An upgraded grey F-5E with a refueling probe flying along a tropical coastline
Original illustration An upgraded F-5 with its refueling probe over a tropical coast, imagined for this site. For real F-5EM details, go by the photos and sources on this page.
VariantsF-5E, F-5F, F-5B; upgraded F-5EM and F-5FM
First aircraft arrivedMarch 1975[5]
Upgrade partnersEmbraer and AEL Sistemas (Elbit)[1]
Planned retirement2029[4]

Three ways to build a fleet

Brazil ordered its first Tigers new from Northrop in October 1974: 36 F-5Es and a small batch of two-seat F-5Bs. The first three arrived in March 1975.[5][6] In 1988 it added 22 used F-5Es and a handful of F-5Fs from the U.S. Air Force's aggressor units. Sources differ on whether that was four or six two-seaters.[5][6] Then, in 2008 and 2009, Brazil bought 11 more from Jordan: 8 F-5Es and 3 F-5Fs.[1][2]

The F-5M upgrade

Rather than buy a new fighter right away, Brazil rebuilt the Tigers it had. Embraer and AEL Sistemas, the Brazilian arm of Israel's Elbit Systems, took on the job in the early 2000s. The first upgraded aircraft, a two-seat F-5FM prototype, was rolled out in December 2004, and the first single-seat F-5EM reached the air force in September 2005.[1] Upgraded single-seaters became F-5EMs and two-seaters F-5FMs.

The changes went deep: a new multi-mode radar, modern cockpit displays, self-protection systems, new weapons, and a fixed probe for air-to-air refueling.[1][5] The first batch of 46 aircraft was finished in 2012 and 2013, and the 11 ex-Jordanian jets followed. The last one, two-seater FAB 4810, was handed over on 14 October 2020.[1][2][3]

EM

How to spot an F-5EM

Look for the fixed refueling probe on the nose. Many F-5Es never carried one, so it is a useful clue to a Brazilian upgraded jet, but confirm with the serial and a dated caption.

Why the numbers don't match

You will see 43, 46, 49 and 57 quoted for Brazil's upgraded fleet. They count different things: single-seaters only, the first batch, the total actually delivered, or the total once planned. We give the batch figures with their sources rather than pick one headline number.[1][2]

Handing over to the Gripen

Brazil is replacing the F-5EM with the Saab F-39 Gripen. The Brazilian Air Force has said the F-5s will keep flying alongside the new jets until 2029.[4]

Source note

Several figures here come from specialist press rather than official Brazilian Air Force releases. Where sources disagree, both figures are given.

Last updated

Sources

  1. The War Zone | Brazil's upgraded Tiger IIs might be the most capable F-5s in the world (2020)
  2. Defense Industry Daily | Brazil's F-5BR fighter fleet upgrade program
  3. Scramble | Brazilian Air Force receives last upgraded former Jordanian F-5FM
  4. Air Data News | Brazilian Air Force aims to decommission F-5 fighters by 2029
  5. Modeling Madness | F-5E Tiger II history notes
  6. Military Review | Northrop F-5 in the service of the Brazilian Air Force
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