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Portugal and Embraer celebrate deal for five KC-390

At a ceremony held at Embraer’s facility in Évora, the Portuguese government signed a contract for the acquisition of five Embraer KC-390 multi-mission airlifters. Services, support and a flight simulator are included in the contract as part of the process to modernize Portuguese Air Force capabilities. Deliveries of the KC-390 are scheduled to start in 2023, which will mark the entry of the KC-390 into the international market.

Embraer explains the KC-390 fully meets the requirements of the Portuguese Air Force, being able to perform different types of military and civilian missions including, humanitarian support, medical evacuation, search and rescue, and firefighting, superior cargo and troops transport, aerial delivery and aerial refueling capabilities.

“The KC-390 will meet Portugal’s operational needs, ensuring the ability to integrate with allied nations for decades to come,” said Jackson Schneider, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “This contract strengthens the industrial partnership between Portugal and Embraer, contributing to the development of the engineering and aeronautics industry in Portugal.”

Portugal is the largest international partner of the Embraer KC-390 program. (Photo: Embraer)

The KC-390 received its Civil Certification from the Brazilian National Aviation Agency (ANAC) in 2018 and is now in full serial production. Entry into service is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2019 with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), with follow-on deliveries to occur throughout the year.

In related news, Elbit Systems was selected by the Portuguese Ministry of Defense to supply a complete Electronic Warfare (EW) suite for the Portuguese Air Forces’ new KC-390 aircraft. Finalization of the contract is subject to completion of the Portuguese Government approval process.

The complete EW suite to be supplied by Elbit Systems for Portugal’s KC-390 aircraft will be comprised of a Radar and Laser Warning Systems, IR Missile Warning System, Countermeasures Dispensing System, as well as the Directional IR Countermeasures (DIRCM) system and Active ECM (AECM) system.

“The Portuguese Air Force is a long-standing strategic partner of Elbit Systems and we are proud of the selection to provide them with enhanced survivability for their new fleet of KC-390 aircraft,” said Edgar Maimon, executive vice president and GM of Elbit Systems EW and SIGINT – Elisra.