The major Latin American military exercise Cruzeiro do Sul (CRUZEX) took place last week in Natal (RN) and ended on 15 November. Twelve nations participated with military aircraft, including Brazil's new F-39 Gripen from the Air Force FAB and the United States' F-15C Eagle from the Air Force USAF. During the second day of the exercise, the Brazilian Gripen planes scored a sensational victory by defeating two American F-15 Eagles in a simulated battle, as previously reported by the Brazilian aeronautical news site Cavok. CRUZEX consisted of three phases: FAM (Familiarization), which helps crews adapt to the area of ​​operations, FIT (Force Integration Training), which focused on cooperation between the countries, and a final phase with complex scenarios, called Composite Air Operations (COMAO). On November 5, the FIT phase was conducted, where two Brazilian F-39 Gripen E faced two Louisiana Air National Guard F-15C Eagle in a BVR (Beyond Visual Range) simulation. During the first "battle" on November 5, the Gripen failed to defeat the F-15, a plane known for its outstanding combat capabilities with over 100 air combat victories without a single loss. The F-15's success is based on a combination of factors such as high speed and maneuverability, large weapons load and advanced long-range target detection radar. But during today's afternoon session, when both the F-39 Gripen and F-15 were equipped with equivalent simulated robots, the Brazilian pilots managed to "shoot down" both American F-15 planes without taking any losses themselves. The result must have greatly impressed the American pilots, who are now analyzing what could have gone wrong, writes the news site Cavok. The FAB stated during a press conference that the USAF initially planned to use F-16s in the exercise, as in previous years, but switched to F-15s to better meet the new Brazilian Gripen planes. Brigadier General Ricardo Guerra Rezende, responsible for Cruzex 2024 and commander of Natal Air Base, commented on Gripen's impressive performance. He emphasized that the Gripen, despite not yet being fully operational, has proven to be very effective and advanced. Rezende pointed out that the exercise demonstrated the Gripen's potential and its new weapon systems, including the Meteor missile and the Iris-T system, which strengthen the FAB's capabilities in both attack and defense. Brazil chose the Swedish Gripen in 2013 and entered into a strategic partnership with technology transfer to Brazilian companies, something that was decisive for the decision. Of the 36 Gripen planes ordered, 15 will be manufactured in Brazil, strengthening the country's industry and creating future export opportunities. Saab sees Brazil as an important platform for the Gripen in Latin America. Among the countries following the Gripen's progress in CRUZEX are Colombia and Peru. Colombia, which is considering replacing its aging Israeli Kfir aircraft, compares the Gripen with the French Rafale and the US F-16, and reportedly chose the Gripen E/F on the same day the Gripen won over the F-15 in the simulated battle.