Embraer Multinational KC-390 Tactical Air Transport Program

[nrj]

Global competition in the 20-ton air transport segment continues to intensify, with Brazil's launch of its KC-390 program. Embraer figures reportedly place the global C-130 replacement market at around 700 aircraft. In response, it will develop a jet-powered rival to compete with Lockheed Martin's C-130J, the larger Airbus A400M, Russia's AN-12 and its Chinese copy the Yun-8/9, and the bi-national Irkut/HAL MRTA project. Smaller aircraft like the EADS-CASA C-295M and Alenia C-27J may also represent indirect competition.

Embraer will now seek to extend its efforts and markets by crafting a jet-powered medium transport with a cargo capacity of around 25 tons, that can be refueled in the air, and can provide refueling services to other aircraft by adding dedicated pods. Thanks to Brazil's fighter project, the KC-390 looks set to become a multinational effort.

The KC-390: Program

Brazil's aerospace industry has made impressive global gains in the civilian business and regional jet segments, and in the military market for primary trainer and counterinsurgency aircraft. Slumping civilian demand recently led to layoffs, but rising Brazilian defense budgets give the government a lever to inject funds into the company, while completing a strategic project that has been under consideration for a couple of years.

The initial Brazilian contract calls for 3 development aircraft. A 25-28 plane order is expected to follow, in order to replace the Brazilian Air Force's 21 C-130E/H and 2 KC-130H Hercules planes. That country also flies 10 aged DHC-5 Buffalo tactical transports; they are excellent aircraft, but their remaining lifespans are questionable.

The aircraft design itself will belong to the Brazilian government, with Embraer as the lead technical and industrial partner. All talks to join the program will be conducted at a government-to-government level, and the process of adding "risk sharing" partners will be a top-down process that results in directives handed down to Embraer. Note that this kind of arrangement can create program risks, and obstacles to an aggressive schedule, if the partners selected by the Brazilian government fail to perform on an industrial level.

Embraer's schedule is an aggressive one. The KC-390's initial configuration is frozen, with the end of definition studies and wind tunnel testing. Other foreign risk sharing partners would likely ramp up their own participation during the 12-month follow-on Joint Definition Phase, set to begin in 2011. The first prototypes are expected in 2014.

The KC-390: Aircraft

The airplane will incorporate a modern, night-vision compatible avionics system, including 2 Head-Up Displays (HUD), and will use fly-by-wire technologies instead of all-mechanical control systems.

Key decisions will include the aircraft's engines, which will need to be in the 27,000 pound thrust class. A number of commercial aircraft engines from manufacturers like GE/Safran's CFM, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls Royce could fit that requirement. France's participation in the KC-390 program seems set to weight that choice very heavily in favor of CFM, whose CFM56-5B is one of several variants that could fit the project's requirements. A complete self-defense system will also be fitted, but no winner has been announced yet.

With the right engines, the Force Aerea Braziliera (FAB) has confirmed that each aircraft will carry up to 80 troops, or a 23.6 tonnes/ 26 ton total cargo load that surpasses initial expectations of 19t. The KC-390 will use Computed Air Release Point (CARP) technology integrated with the fly-by-wire system, in order to improve airdrop accuracy.

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[nrj]

KC-390 Program

The twin-engine, robust and pilot-friendly KC-390 cargo plane is seen as a potential replacement for military transport aircrafts such the Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules. The KC-390 jet plane has all the features to qualify for a rugged and state-of-the-art military transport aircraft.
The KC-390 Spells Intense Competition

The competition between aircraft manufacturers to build 20-ton cargo planes has intensified, thanks to the launch of Embraer's KC-390 cargo plane program. The KC-390 is seen as a possible replacement for the Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft. This jet-powered, twin-engine military cargo aircraft has the ability to transport 19 tons of cargo, including armored ground vehicles.

Embraer, or Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica, is one of the world's top aircraft manufacturers. Founded in 1969, the Brazilian aerospace conglomerate produces military, corporate and commercial aircraft as well as other aerospace related services. The company's headquarters, engineering and production facilities are located in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Its latest initiative, the KC-390 Jet, is the heaviest aircraft ever made by the company.

KC-390 Cargo Plane Development History

The plans for constructing the KC-390 military transport aircraft began soon after Embraer began analyzing the design of medium-sized military aircrafts in 2006. With an investment of 800 million Reais (440 million USD), the project is expected to complete and enter service in 2015.

The heaviest aircraft ever built by Embraer will integrate many technological aspects of the Embraer E-Jet, a twin-engine jet airline used for commercial and business purposes. The unit price of KC-390 aircraft is estimated to around 50 million USD, whereas the unit price of its competitor's models are double the price of the aircraft.

Several countries including France, Sweden have expressed their interest in evaluating and buying the aircraft for tactical air transport needs. On 14 April, 2009, Embraer obtained and order from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for 23 KC-390 military transport planes. The contract between the aircraft manufacturing company and FAB is estimated to around 1.3 billion Reais. The transport/tanker version of the KC-390 plane will comply with the new National Defense Strategy and meet the demands of the Brazilian Air Force. The KC-390 will replace the C-130 Hercules and KC-130 models that are currently in use.

KC-390 Military Transport Aircraft Characteristics

The KC-390 aircraft is the largest and the most complicated aircraft ever built by Embraer. With its sophisticated loading and unloading systems, the twin-engine powered military cargo jet will be capable of handling a wide variety of payload, including ground armored vehicles. It will also have the capacity to carry over 80 military personnel.

Powered by two 27,000 pounds turbofans, the KC-390 will have a maximum speed of Mach 0.8 and will be able to cruise at 36,000 feet. The cargo handled by the aircraft will be 20 percent larger than current military transport aircrafts. The leveled floor and zero height restrictions qualify KC-390 to carry more payload than the existing cargo aircrafts.

The best aspects of KC-390 transport aircraft is the in-flight refueling and considerable reduction in pilot workload. The technically advanced plane reduces pilot workload through its advanced fly-by-wire technology. This advanced technology will also help the pilot to land aircraft on rustic and short airstrips.

Conclusion

With a payload capacity of 19 tons and state-of-the-art fly-by-wire technology the KC-390 cargo plane will give tough competition to other aircraft manufacturing companies. The modest unit price, which is half the price of a conventional cargo airplane, is another key reason for intense competition. Although, competitors say that the K-390 project development won't be easy, Embraer is seriously looking for participation of other countries to make this a successful venture.

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[nrj]

Brazil Offers International KC-390 Partnerships

Brazil will soon internationalize its KC-390 tactical airlifter and airborne tanker program. High-level discussions with potential foreign partners are already under way at a government-to-government level. Embraer's evp for defense and government programs, Orlando José Ferreira Neto, tells Show News he is standing by for instructions from Brasilia on a new joint investment and development phase, which will be delivered in the very near future.

The KC-390 development contract signed in April came into force last month. Over the next 24 months Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) will conduct two series of definition studies to decide the final configuration of the KC-390. These will be followed by a 12-month Joint Definition Phase that will fully integrate the new risk-sharing partner (or partners) into the program. However, the expansion of the KC-390 team will come well before then.

Says Orlando Neto, "The KC-390 is FAB intellectual property, it belongs to them. Embraer is a technical and industrial partner. Because it is a military program, adding new partners needs a government-to-government connection before there are industrial connections. The FAB and the Brazilian government are conducting some very active discussions right now and we expect to have at least a handful of high-level partners for the KC-390. It will be a top down process beginning at a government level before coming to Embraer.

"Within the next three years every aspect of this aircraft has to be agreed and defined. The Joint Definition Phase has to start in Month 25 [of 36], so if we are to be ready for that the whole process starts right now. Within the next 12 months we need to have things in place for a formal government and industrial arrangement. I would expect that to be agreed by the end of 2009 or early next year.

"Yes, that is an aggressive schedule, but it is our reputation to be aggressive and successful."

Embraer's choice of engines for the KC-390 is still an unknown quantity. The company says it needs a turbofan in the 27,000-lb thrust class and that a supplier decision will be made in the next 24 months. Safran has told Show News that when Embraer issues an RFP for engines it will bid a CFM engine, along with GE. Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan (GTF) is another obvious candidate.

Two years ago nobody, outside Embraer, had heard of the KC-390. When it was unwrapped at the 2007 Latin American Aerospace and Defence (LAAD) exhibition, Brazil's new airlifter was a surprise. In fact, Embraer had been working on its military transport program since at least 2005. The intention was to use the design experience garnered from the Embraer 170/190 regional jet family and translate that into a new short takeoff and landing (STOL) tactical airlifter. With a 19-tonne payload and a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) in the 70-tonne class, the turbofan-powered C-390 was firmly positioned as a rival to the C-130J Hercules.

Early on Embraer realized that the transition from civil to military design requirements would not be easy. Embraer abandoned its attempt to adopt regional jet manufacturing to a military mission. The KC-390 will still be certified to FAR Part 25 standards. However, during 2008 it was significantly redesigned to emerge as a T-tailed aircraft with a much-revised wing, fuselage and landing gear configuration. The redesign also transformed the original C-390 into the multi-role KC-390 tanker/transport.

The KC-390 will undertake the complete range of tactical transport missions, with a full air drop capability for troops and cargo -- including LAPES deliveries at very low levels. The main hold has a payload capacity of 19,000 kg. It also incorporates the ability to be both refuelled in the air and to act as an airborne tanker itself, with wing-mounted hose and drum units.

This major new program was formally launched into production on April 14 at Rio de Janeiro's LAAD 2009 event. The FAB plans to replace its existing C-130E/H and KC-130H Hercules aircraft with the KC-390, requiring a fleet of about 20 new aircraft to enter service from 2015 onward. An initial batch of three development aircraft will be produced.

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[nrj]

Embraer reveals KC-390 schedule, design changes

A new document posted online illuminates Embraer's master schedule for the KC-390 military transport and tanker aircraft and reveals changes compared with a previous version of the design.

The schedule, dated March 2010, reveals a fast-paced programme nearing the end of the preliminary design phase in mid-year, with initial operational capability promised five years later.

The preliminary design phase will be followed by a year-long initial definition phase, during which windtunnel testing will complete. Loads and structures calculation efforts are also launched during this phase.

A one-year, joint definition phase is scheduled to start in mid-2011, with a preliminary design review set for early 2012. With a supply chain established by mid-2011, Embraer to start developing tooling early during this phase, and begin releasing engineering drawings.

Starting in mid-2012, the KC-390 project will enter a four-year detailed design and certification phase. A critical design review is scheduled for early 2013, allowing Embraer to freeze the configuration. The first prototype aircraft is scheduled for delivery in late 2014, with a second prototype delivered shortly afterward.

The KC-390 project formally was launched in April 2007. Two years later, the Brazilian air force signed a contract to launch the programme, which will replace the service's 30 ageing Lockheed Martin C-130s.

So far, Embraer has developed a mock-up of the KC-390 cargo compartment to make volumetric checks, the Embraer briefing says.

The aircraft is being designed to carry a 19t cargo load up to 2,685km (1,450nm).

A three-view slide included in the briefing shows how the configuration has evolved. A previous three-view drawing distributed at trade shows a slightly smaller aircraft. The wingspan has grown in the new design from just over 33.9m (110ft) to just over 35m and length has increased from 33.4m to 33.9m. The height at the top of a T-tail has declined from 11.4m to just under 10.7m (previous design pictured below). The cargo box size is not listed in the new briefing, but was previously described as 3.35m wide by 2.9m tall.

Embraer projects the C-130 replacement market for the KC-390 includes up to 700 aircraft worth more than $50 billion. At the same time, the aircraft introduces new design skills for Embraer, including a rear cargo ramp, military transport certification and aerial refuelling capability.

The Embraer presentation describes the programme as "running on schedule, geared-up for full-scale development and also for selection of the main partners".

Source

 

[nrj]

Embraer KC-390

Embraer KC-390 Program: Official Specifications & schematics

http://www.embraerdefensesystems.com/english/content/download/pdf/Spec_KC390_abril_09.pdf

 

[nrj]

KC-390 Schedule

 

[nrj]

Embraer KC-390: Press conference Farnborough 2010

 

[nrj]

Embraer KC-390

 

[nrj]

FAB and Embraer Announce Plan for KC 390 Initial Acquisition

(Sao Jose dos Campos, July 21, 2010) -- Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) announced today, in a press conference at the 47th Farnborough International Airshow, in England, FAB's intention of making a future purchase of 28 KC-390 aircraft . The development program for the new military jet transport was signed by FAB and Embraer in April 2009 during the seventh edition of Latin America Aero and Defence (LAAD) in Rio de Janeiro.

"The Brazilian Air Force has been Embraer's most important strategic partner since the Company was founded in 1969," stated Orlando Jose Ferreira Neto, Embraer Executive Vice President - Defense Market. "This announcement reinforces Embraer's motivation and commitment to conceive a state-of-the-art product that should exceed FAB requirements and overall market expectations."

The project is moving ahead according to plan and the preliminary studies phase was successfully concluded. The first flight of the airplane is expected for 2014 and entry into service for the end of 2015. The most relevant wind tunnel tests campaigns have been concluded, allowing aerodynamic, structural and system configurations freezing.

The KC 390 cargo capacity should exceed the initial requirement and achieve 23.6 tons. A full-size model of the cargo hold was built to assess the aircraft internal space and typical cargo operations. The results of these evaluations have confirmed the aircraft's great versatility.

The KC-390 will feature Computed Air Release Point (CARP) technology integrated with the fly-by-wire system, which will bring greater accuracy to air dropping while lowering crewworkload. The airplane will incorporate a modern avionics system, including two Head-Up Displays (HUD) and a complete self-defense system. The KC-390 operation will be fully compatible with Night Vision Goggles (NVG) technology.

Faster than its competitors, the aircraft will be capable of operating from short and semiprepared runways. Included in its mission portfolio are troops and cargo transportation in diverse and challenging environments such as the Antarctica and Amazon regions, in-flight refueling, search and rescue (SAR) and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC).

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[nrj]

EMBRAER KC-390 Tactical Air Transport Aircraft

The EMBRAER KC-390 sets a new standard in medium-lift military transport. A twin turbofan with outstanding operational productivity, the KC-390 has the lowest total life cycle cost and the highest availability in its class.

Capable of being refueled in flight and also quickly configured as a tanker, the KC-390 uses state-of-the-art avionics, with dual HUD, and a full-featured mission system, including accurate computed air release point (CARP). It is equipped with a complete self-protection system and is fully NVG compatible.

The KC-390 presents extraordinary field performance and is capable of operating from short and semi-prepared airstrips. A full fly-by-wire flight control system with optimized functions assures best mission performance and safe flying with reduced crew workload.

The future of military airlift has arrived: the EMBRAER KC-390.

Source: Embraer

 

[sandeepdg]

Gotta give it to the Brazilians, mate !! That is one hell of a tactical transport aircraft, a befitting replacement to the superb warhorse, the Hercules ! I think Embraer as an aviation company is probably the best among all third world nations, and everybody should learn from them !

 

[nrj]

Embraer looks to KC-390 to bolster its defense portfolio

Embraer expects its revenues from the defense sector to grow by almost a third this year, reaching approximately $650 million compared with $500 million in 2009. Its military backlog going into 2010 stood at $3.2 billion and could increase if Indonesia's defense minister signs off on a deal for eight EMB 314 Super Tucano trainer/light attack aircraft.


But the Brazilian manufacturer's next big defense move is the planned KC-390 military transport aircraft. This program has reached a critical junction as Embraer tries to confirm workshare agreements with prospective industrial partners and secure launch orders from countries where these companies are based.
Embraer wants to get the industrial partnership network in place no later than this time next year. It wants to have the first KC-390 flying in 2013 and the first units delivered to Brazil's air force in 2015.


Risk-mitigation Studies

The twinjet is now in its preliminary design phase with Embraer engineers working on risk mitigation. Brazil has committed to buy "a number in the upper 20s," according to executive vice president for defense Orlando Neto. They would replace the air force's Lockheed Martin C-130 fleet and Neto indicated that the order could swell "into the lower 30s" to meet additional needs, such as air-to-air refueling. But clearly, Embraer is going to need export orders to make the program commercially viable, which is why the pressure is on to tie up the four or five planned industrial partnerships.


Embraer is looking to structure the KC-390 workshare around aspects of the program such as the tail, landing gear, engine and avionics suite. Neto would not comment on who the prospective partners are, but it is understood that companies from South Africa and Sweden have expressed an interest.


Government-level talks have also been held with Portugal. Here the likely conduit for the partnership would be maintenance, repair and overhaul specialist Ogma, in which Embraer holds a 65-percent stake. Portugal's motive for buying the KC-390 would also be to replace its C-130 (four-engine) turboprop, since it withdrew from the rival A400M program in 2002.


Meanwhile, the Super Tucano program has a backlog of around 91 orders, having delivered 87 of 99 ordered by the Brazilian air force. Other customers include Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.


Counterinsurgency Ops

Embraer has also been hoping to win what could be a breakthrough order from the U.S. for a light-attack version of the Super Tucano that could be used for counterinsurgency operations. In August 2009, the U.S. Central Command made an urgent request to buy four Super Tucanos equipped with 250-pound laser-guided bombs, as well as intelligence and surveillance equipment. Funds were provisionally reallocated from the U.S. Navy budget and the acquisition was personally backed by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

But the deal has still to be confirmed after apparently being stalled in Congress by Republican politicians from Kansas, where the rival Hawker Beechcraft AT-6B is being developed, but is not yet ready for active service in this specific role.


Also part of Embraer's defense portfolio are airborne early warning and control platforms based on the ERJ 145 regional jetliner. India is due to take delivery of the first of three of these aircraft next year, with mission systems provided by the Centre for Airborne Studies of the Indian government's Defence Research & Development Organization. The payload will include primary and secondary radar, satellite communications, communications and electronic intelligence systems, plus countermeasures.

Embraer also has orders for 17 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms based on civil aircraft from the air forces of Brazil, Greece and Mexico. It has also supplied a number of Legacy, Phenom, ERJ 135 and EMB 190 aircraft fitted out as VIP transports for heads-of-state and senior government officials.

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[nrj]

Chile May Tie Up With Brazil's KC-390

The Chilean government is talking with Brazil about getting involved in the Embraer KC-390 military jet transport program.

Chile's Air Force could buy six of the tactical airlifters, Embraer officials said in a statement.

The Chilean and Brazilian defense ministers signed a declaration of intent Aug. 24 in Santiago that could see Chile's Empresa Nacional de Aeronautica (ENAER) aerospace company participate in the program.

Orlando Jose Ferreira Neto, Embraer executive vice president, said his company already had an excellent relationship with ENAER and this latest move showed the high regard the Chile government had for the KC-390.

"It also shows our mutual interest in integrating the defense industrial bases of both countries." Neto said.

The Brazilian Air Force recently committed to buy 28 of the twin-jet aircraft whose first flight is scheduled for 2014.

Argentina has also indicated it may join the program. Dassault and Saab, two of the contenders in the Brazilian FX2 fighter competition, have indicated they could participate in the program if they are selected for the combat aircraft deal.

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[Tshering22]

Suddenly there's been sharp rise in competition for medium multirole transport aircraft. First us/Russians then Brazil and later Japan!! I think if at all we have to market MRTA to third countries, price cuts would be the only key factor that might give it a chance against Brazilians. Embraer already has a good reputation worldwide.

 

[nrj]

Embraer Adds To KC-390 Customer List

Portugal and the Czech Republic are the latest countries to express their intent to buy Embraer KC-390 tanker transports, giving their respective industries a role in development of the military aircraft.

Portugal has been a strong prospect for Embraer essentially from the outset of the KC-390, and with the Sept. 10 announcement has made the relationship official. The country would buy six of the airlifters for use by the Portuguese air force.

The Czech Republic, meanwhile, has committed to buy two of the tanker/transports.

Since the Brazilian air force committed to buying 28 KC-390s in July, Chile and Colombia have joined as program partners, with Chile intending to buy six aircraft and Colombia 12, in return for their industries having a role in the program. Embraer now has commitments from five countries to buy 54 KC-390s.

Just how the work share will be apportioned remains to be settled. In announcing the Portuguese agreement, Embraer CEO Frederico Fleury Curado notes, "There is a lot of work yet to be done. The preliminary studies have been concluded and we are moving ahead to establish the final configuration of the aircraft and the primary suppliers."

The industrial participation has not been set for any of the partner countries, but Aero Vodochody is a likely beneficiary in the case of the Czech Republic.

"We believe this could be the beginning of a solid, long-term relationship," says Orlando Neto, Embraer's vice president for the defense market.

Embraer Adds To KC-390 Customer List

 

[mc72]

Big Rally in few days!

 

[mc72]

I make in other forum a initial group of clients of KC-390
but i can't post directly any photo, link or whatsoever ¿¿¿???......because just subscribe the forum
strange rules indeed

Gratings

 

[sandeepdg]

I don't think our MRTA will have any considerable market value as compared to the KC-390, especially since Embraer has a splendid reputation all over the world !

 

[nrj]

Embraer Picks Commercial Engine for KC-390

LONDON - Embraer has selected the IAE V2500 engine to power its new twin-jet KC-390 tactical airlifter, the Brazilian aerospace company announced.

First deliveries of the E5 variant of the engine to Embraer are scheduled for 2013, with flight tests planned to start the following year.


The KC-390 airlifter is the first military application for an engine widely used in the commercial market to power Airbus A320 family aircraft. Maker IAE is a longtime joint venture among Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Japanese Aero Engine and MTU Aero Engines.

Ian Atkin, the president and CEO of IAE, said in a July 25 statement that the military application "substantially opens a market that we have not done business in before, providing our company with opportunities for significant further growth."

Embraer's deal with IAE to supply the V2500-E5 is the latest in a string of supply chain deals aimed at having the KC-390 ready to enter service in late 2015.

The Brazilian Air Force is the lead customer for an aircraft that has also attracted initial letters of intent from Argentina, Chile, Columbia, the Czech Republic and Portugal.

Embraer Picks Commercial Engine for KC-390 - Defense News

 

[cobra commando]

Brazil To Buy 28 KC-390
Aircraft Worth $3.3 Billion
From Embraer

Embraer has signed a $3.3 billion deal with the Brazilian Air Force on Tuesday to build 28 newly launched KC-390 mid-sized cargo planes. The KC-390s will allow the Brazilian Air Force to phase out some 21 aging C-130 Hercules it currently operates, the government said on Tuesday. The planes will be built in São Paulo state over the life of the 10 year contract, according to reports. The KC-190 is a smaller version of the Super Hercules and will be used for the air patrol along Brazil's Amazon border. Embraer said Tuesday that their first KC-390 will be delivered later this year, with the first official Air Force versions to take flight sometime in early 2016.
Embraer President Jackson Schneider said the company hopes the KC-390 will be able to capture between 15% to 20% market share in the mid-sized cargo plane market by 2030. Market size for that type of military craft is relatively small, at around 7,800 worldwide over a 20 year period. "Now we are looking for new contracts. We have 32 letters of intent already signed with other countries that are looking to turn those letters into firm orders," Schneider told Brazilian reporters on Tuesday. Embraer already has letters of intent with Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Portugal and Czech Republica defense departments.


Brazil To Buy 28 KC-390 Aircraft Worth $3.3 Billion From Embraer