Embraer delivered the second KC-390 multi-mission aircraft to the Portuguese Air Force (FAP) on June 26, 2024.
Through a joint effort between Embraer, its Portuguese subsidiary OGMA and the FAP, the aircraft includes standard NATO equipment and meets the requirements set by Portugal’s National Aeronautical Authority (AAN).
In 2019, the FAP became the first international customer for the KC-390, placing an order for five multi-mission aircraft, a flight simulator, and logistical support, in a contract that is expected to amount to €827 million.
These aircraft are due to replace the FAP’s current fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130H. The first KC-390 entered service at Beja Air Base in October 2023.
“The second KC-390 Millennium delivery to the Portuguese Air Force is another important step in the process of internationalizing our aircraft, which is increasing its market recognition particularly among NATO nations,” Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer’s Defense & Security, commented. “The Portuguese Air Force is a long-term partner of Embraer and has supported us strategically since the beginning of the program.”
Portugal is a major partner in the KC-390 program. OGMA produces some of its parts, including the aircraft’s central fuselage, in Evora, 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Lisboa.
The KC-390 is a tactical transport and in-flight refueling aircraft. It is powered by two specially designed Pratt and Whitney V2500-E5 engines and can carry 26 tons of cargo, including vehicles such as two M113 armored personnel carriers or a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. This aircraft is the largest one produced in Latin America and is designed to take off and land on semi-prepared and unpaved airfields.
