Chile and Colombia to Become Partners in Embraer’s KC-390 Programme
09:10 GMT, September 3, 2010 defpro.com | While US and European aerospace companies, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus Military and Antonov, are intensely competing in the global tactical airlift market, an unexpected competitor has quietly positioned itself in the key players’ backyard and, in the future, may be reaching out beyond its ancestral geographic and business environment. So far, Embraer’s KC-390 tactical airlift programme has not made large waves in the international market. However, the South American company, which has already had significant international success with its Tucano and Super Tucano light attack and training aircraft, is now seeking to measure up to earlier achievements with a new heavyweight (when compared to the Tucanos).
Recent news about possible new partners and future customers has shown that the programme has a good chance to no longer remain confined to its continental borders. However, a long road still lies ahead of the KC-390 programme before it joins the international competition. The first flight of the airplane is scheduled for 2014, with entry into service with the Brazilian Air Force planned for the end of 2015.
Indeed, Embraer is very confident about the continuing progress of its military airlift programme. In May, Acir Padilha, Vice-President, Marketing and Sales at Embraer Defense Systems, told defpro.com: “The EMBRAER KC-390 sets a new standard in medium-lift military transport. With a twin turbofan engine and outstanding operational productivity, the KC-390 will have the lowest total life cycle cost and the highest availability in its class.” (see
http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/563/)
Embraer’s growing number of partners for this programme – in addition to its key national partner, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) – may prove Padilha right. After the FAB’s announcement during the Farnborough air show in July to purchase 28 KC-390 aircraft, two new partners have recently been announced. In late August, the Brazilian and Chilean Defence Ministers signed a declaration of intent in Santiago de Chile in which Chile becomes a partner in the KC-390 programme and provides a basis for negotiations on the purchase of six aircraft. Furthermore, as DefenseNews reports, Brazil and Colombia signed a similar document on 1 September. In addition to the prospect of industrial participation, the Colombian Air Force (FAC) intends to purchase a fleet of twelve KC-390s.
Chile’s industry may also benefit from participation in the programme. Based the bilateral agreement, Chile’s National Aeronautical Enterprise (Empresa Nacional de Aeronáutica, ENAER) will be offered an opportunity to contribute to the development of the aircraft and to supply part of its structure. The two South American companies have collaborated in different aerospace programmes since the 1990s. Orlando José Ferreira Neto, Embraer Executive Vice President, Defence Market, said on the occasion of the signing ceremony: “We have an excellent relationship with ENAER and we hope to see it grow even more via this partnership that not only reveals the high regard of the Chilean government for the KC-390, which we consider to be a winning product, but also shows our mutual interest in integrating the defence industrial bases of both countries.” ENAER’s CEO, General Pedro Bascuñan stated: “Participating in the project brings benefits not only to Embraer and ENAER, but also to both nations, by generating jobs and boosting industrial development. The possibility of working together on the KC-390 program comes as an important alternative for stimulating the manufacturing of aeronautical structures in our facilities.”
Earlier this week, Chile was joined by Colombia as the second international partner in Brazil’s ambitious military airlift programme. According to DefenseNews, Air Marshal Flavio Ulloa, the FAC chief of logistical operations, said during the signing ceremony that by “being part of the programme, we are taking big steps to significantly speed up the development of the country's aeronautics industry through the Colombian Aeronautics Industry Corporation.” The Colombian Air Force already operates the Tucano, Super Tucano and EMB 110 Bandeirante aircraft. The news of Embraer’s latest international partnership was also noticed on the stock market with company shares rising 6.1% on Wednesday.
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