Brazil Extends KC-390 Aircraft Deliveries to Air Force Until 2034
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Brazil confirmed Embraer will complete delivery of 19 KC-390 Millennium jets to its Air Force by 2034.
Brazil’s air transport modernization confirms that Embraer will finish delivering 19 KC-390 Millennium aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) by 2034. Originally launched in 2014 with a plan for 28 aircraft within nine years, the program was restructured due to financial pressures and shifting defense priorities. The order was cut to 19 units, and the timeline extended to sixteen years. This adjustment, announced during a public hearing of the Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee as part of the PEC 55/2023 review, highlights the difficulty of sustaining large programs under budget limits while also supporting Embraer’s export ambitions.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Embraer KC-390 Millennium, a versatile tactical transport aircraft developed in Brazil. (Picture source: Embraer)
The KC-390 Millennium, designed to replace the C-130 Hercules, introduces a different approach with jet propulsion and modern systems aimed at faster response and greater flexibility. It can carry up to 26 tons of cargo, including 8×8 armored vehicles, helicopters, or palletized loads, and transport 80 fully equipped soldiers or 66 paratroopers. The cargo bay is 18.5 meters long, 3.45 meters wide, and 2.95 meters high, with a rear ramp and a modern handling system for rapid loading and unloading. Powered by two IAE V2500-E5 turbofans, each producing 31,330 pounds of thrust, the aircraft cruises at 470 knots (870 km/h) with a service ceiling of 36,000 feet. Its range reaches 3,260 kilometers with a 23-ton payload, giving it NATO-standard reach for regional operations.
The aircraft has already proven its operational value. Since the seventh unit was delivered in September 2024, the FAB fleet has accumulated more than 14,000 flight hours with an availability rate above 99 percent. The KC-390 has been used for humanitarian relief, resupply of remote bases, and support of F-39 Gripen fighters. The complete retirement of the Hercules fleet in 2024 closed a chapter in Brazilian airlift history: known as “Gordos,” these aircraft had been in service since 1964, carrying out strategic transport, paratrooper drops, and refueling missions for more than five decades. The KC-390 is now the core of FAB logistics, ensuring continuity and upgraded capability.
Reinforced landing gear and high-lift wings allow operations from short or unprepared airstrips, a necessity in a country with vast distances, limited infrastructure in some areas, and recurring natural disasters. The aircraft can shift roles in just hours, from cargo transport to medical evacuation or firefighting with the MAFFS II system, which increases the efficiency of a relatively small fleet. The KC-390 tanker configuration, equipped with Cobham pods, enables both aerial refueling and receiving fuel, giving the FAB greater autonomy in complex operations.
On the export market, the KC-390 has secured important customers. Portugal, the launch partner, has already received aircraft and confirmed more orders. Hungary took delivery of its first unit, while the Netherlands, Austria, and Sweden each signed contracts for several aircraft. The Czech Republic and Slovakia ordered smaller batches, and Lithuania recently selected the KC-390 as its first tactical transport aircraft after evaluating it against the C-130J. These acquisitions, mostly from NATO members, underline the aircraft’s interoperability and its role as a regional solution integrated into European defense planning.
Beyond Europe, South Korea has chosen the KC-390 to modernize its fleet, and India is evaluating it under the Medium Transport Aircraft program. A contract with India would open one of the largest defense aviation markets and ensure long-term production, marking the first time a Latin American aircraft became central to a major Asian air force.
The KC-390 strengthens Brazil’s defense industry and positions Embraer as a rare producer outside North America and Europe in this category. For NATO allies, it provides supply diversification beyond the C-130J. For Eastern European and Asian buyers, it offers a modern and interoperable option at competitive cost.
With deliveries extended to 2034, the program shows the balance between national budget constraints and export opportunities. The FAB secures its modernization path, while Embraer establishes the KC-390 on the global stage. How far it can expand into markets long dominated by other manufacturers remains uncertain, but the program already signals Brazil’s enduring role in military aviation.
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Brazil confirmed Embraer will complete delivery of 19 KC-390 Millennium jets to its Air Force by 2034.
Brazil’s air transport modernization confirms that Embraer will finish delivering 19 KC-390 Millennium aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) by 2034. Originally launched in 2014 with a plan for 28 aircraft within nine years, the program was restructured due to financial pressures and shifting defense priorities. The order was cut to 19 units, and the timeline extended to sixteen years. This adjustment, announced during a public hearing of the Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee as part of the PEC 55/2023 review, highlights the difficulty of sustaining large programs under budget limits while also supporting Embraer’s export ambitions.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Embraer KC-390 Millennium, a versatile tactical transport aircraft developed in Brazil. (Picture source: Embraer)
The KC-390 Millennium, designed to replace the C-130 Hercules, introduces a different approach with jet propulsion and modern systems aimed at faster response and greater flexibility. It can carry up to 26 tons of cargo, including 8×8 armored vehicles, helicopters, or palletized loads, and transport 80 fully equipped soldiers or 66 paratroopers. The cargo bay is 18.5 meters long, 3.45 meters wide, and 2.95 meters high, with a rear ramp and a modern handling system for rapid loading and unloading. Powered by two IAE V2500-E5 turbofans, each producing 31,330 pounds of thrust, the aircraft cruises at 470 knots (870 km/h) with a service ceiling of 36,000 feet. Its range reaches 3,260 kilometers with a 23-ton payload, giving it NATO-standard reach for regional operations.
The aircraft has already proven its operational value. Since the seventh unit was delivered in September 2024, the FAB fleet has accumulated more than 14,000 flight hours with an availability rate above 99 percent. The KC-390 has been used for humanitarian relief, resupply of remote bases, and support of F-39 Gripen fighters. The complete retirement of the Hercules fleet in 2024 closed a chapter in Brazilian airlift history: known as “Gordos,” these aircraft had been in service since 1964, carrying out strategic transport, paratrooper drops, and refueling missions for more than five decades. The KC-390 is now the core of FAB logistics, ensuring continuity and upgraded capability.
Reinforced landing gear and high-lift wings allow operations from short or unprepared airstrips, a necessity in a country with vast distances, limited infrastructure in some areas, and recurring natural disasters. The aircraft can shift roles in just hours, from cargo transport to medical evacuation or firefighting with the MAFFS II system, which increases the efficiency of a relatively small fleet. The KC-390 tanker configuration, equipped with Cobham pods, enables both aerial refueling and receiving fuel, giving the FAB greater autonomy in complex operations.
On the export market, the KC-390 has secured important customers. Portugal, the launch partner, has already received aircraft and confirmed more orders. Hungary took delivery of its first unit, while the Netherlands, Austria, and Sweden each signed contracts for several aircraft. The Czech Republic and Slovakia ordered smaller batches, and Lithuania recently selected the KC-390 as its first tactical transport aircraft after evaluating it against the C-130J. These acquisitions, mostly from NATO members, underline the aircraft’s interoperability and its role as a regional solution integrated into European defense planning.
Beyond Europe, South Korea has chosen the KC-390 to modernize its fleet, and India is evaluating it under the Medium Transport Aircraft program. A contract with India would open one of the largest defense aviation markets and ensure long-term production, marking the first time a Latin American aircraft became central to a major Asian air force.
The KC-390 strengthens Brazil’s defense industry and positions Embraer as a rare producer outside North America and Europe in this category. For NATO allies, it provides supply diversification beyond the C-130J. For Eastern European and Asian buyers, it offers a modern and interoperable option at competitive cost.
With deliveries extended to 2034, the program shows the balance between national budget constraints and export opportunities. The FAB secures its modernization path, while Embraer establishes the KC-390 on the global stage. How far it can expand into markets long dominated by other manufacturers remains uncertain, but the program already signals Brazil’s enduring role in military aviation.
