Portuguese Air Force KC-390 Test Campaign Advances

The activities are being carried out at the Embraer unit in Gavião Peixoto, in the São Paulo State before the aircraft's departure to Portugal, where NATO-standard equipment will be integrated and certified By DA Staff / 06 Sep 2022

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Embraer continues to carry out flight test activities in the Portuguese Air Force KC-390 aircraft program that meet the specific requirements of the Portuguese State, and are certified by Brazilian authorities, including the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) and the Institute for Industrial Development and Coordination (IFI). The activities are being carried out at the Embraer unit in Gavião Peixoto, in the São Paulo State.

This phase precedes the aircraft’s departure to Portugal, where NATO-standard equipment will be integrated and certified by the National Aeronautical Authority (AAN) of Portugal and with the involvement of OGMA, a subsidiary of Embraer in Portugal. All activities are being monitored by the Portuguese Air Force, with the first deliveries scheduled to begin in 2023.

Portugal is the first international customer of the KC-390 program and will receive five KC0390 Millennium aircraft as part of the Portuguese Air Force’s process to modernize capabilities and increase readiness for public interest missions. The contract also includes services and support, as well as a flight simulator.  

The KC-390 aircraft meets all Portuguese Air Force requirements for missions including humanitarian support, medical evacuation, search and rescue, and wildfire fighting, adding superior transport and launch capabilities for cargo and troops and in-flight refueling.

The C-390 Millennium and its aerial refueling configuration, the KC-390, are the new generation of multi-mission military transport aircraft that Embraer claims will offer unparalleled mobility and payload capacity, rapid reconfiguration, high availability, enhanced comfort, and flight safety, as well as optimized management of reduced operational costs throughout its lifecycle, all on a single platform.

Portugal is the largest international partner of the KC-390 program, and its participation in the development and production of the aircraft is recognized for having a positive economic impact on the generation of jobs, new investments, increased exports and technological advances.

Posted by DA Staff Connect & Contact

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