Embraer shows first images of Portugal's first KC-390

Portugal's first KC-390 under production at Embraer's Gavião Peixoto plant.

At the end of last year, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer released the first images of the first KC-390 for the Portuguese Air Force. The military cargo plane, which is currently under production at the Embraer plant in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil, is expected to start the test program during this year.

Lisbon signed a purchase order for five Embraer KC-390 multi-mission aircraft in July 2019 as part of the Portuguese Air Force's modernization process to support national armed forces operations and increase readiness in public interest missions.

The Portuguese Air Force is expected to receive the first KC-390 in 2023. Deliveries will then continue at a rate of one aircraft per year until 2027.

With 5 aircraft on order, Portugal has become the largest user of the KC-390 after Brazil (the main one with 28 aircraft) and the second international partner together with Hungary which last year ordered two aircraft.

The KC-390 was born as a direct competitor of the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, but has not yet achieved the expected sales success. In 2018, Embraer partnered with Boeing to heavily promote the platform in the global market, but their deal has already collapsed. Experts say the breakup of the joint venture could further slow down the aircraft's sales. However, it is too early to take stock as the KC-390 is a young project and the military airlift market is not currently in great turmoil.

Written by Matteo Sanzani

Photo Credit: Embraer