Embraer Defence & Security (ED&S), the Brazilian manufacturer of the C-390 Millennium, a military multi-mission tactical air transport aircraft, is eyeing an Indian Air Force (IAF) requirement for a new Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA).
ED&S President Bosco Da Costa Junior was in New Delhi on Monday to deepen the airframer’s engagement with India's aerospace and defence industry. He said the company laid the groundwork to compete for the IAF order and was in talks with local firms for a possible partnership to bid for the project. The C-390 was a proven platform in military service, with the advantages of incorporating the latest multi-mission capability and bringing more value to the IAF due to its operational flexibility and low operating costs.
Embraer is offering the C-390 in the 18-30 tonne class, and it has responded to the IAF's Request for Information for Information (RFI) issued earlier this year for acquiring 80 aircraft. It showcased the C-390 aircraft at the Aero India 2023 airshow in Bengaluru in February, where it was on static display.
Embraer says the C-390’s advantages include its payload capacity of 26 tonne, which is larger than other medium-sized military cargo aircraft, and it can fly faster (470 knots) and farther.
The C-390 can undertake various missions such as transporting and dropping cargo and troops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian missions. It can operate from temporary or unpaved runways such as packed earth, soil and gravel. It has already proven its aerial refuelling capacity and an aircraft receiving fuel from another KC-390 using pods installed under the wings.
The C-390 entered service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019, and its current fleet of six aircraft are all in the aerial refuelling version, designated KC-390. These aircraft have already accumulated over 9,500 flight hours. Recent figures show an operational availability of around 80%, with a mission completion rate above 99% for the aircraft.
The airframer has also bagged export orders for the C-390 Millennium from Portugal and Hungary (both NATO member countries). The Netherlands, another NATO member, selected the C-390 Millennium in 2022.
The IAF’s Netra AEW&C is built upon Embraer’s ERJ 145 regional jet platform, which was produced in collaboration with the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
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