Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force launch the first prototype of the KC-390 military transport aircraft, significantly boosting Brazil's airlift capabilities
Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) are to formally roll out the first prototype of the KC-390 military transport aircraft, on October 21[1]. The ceremony is set to take place at the Gavião Peixoto facility, in the State of São Paulo, where the model is being produced. The agreement between the FAB and the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer arranges for the acquisition of 28 aircrafts over a period of ten years, with the first delivery scheduled for 2016.
The Coordinating Committee of the Combat Aircraft Program (COPAC) within the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA) is responsible for conducting the project. "The KC-390 represents, for the Brazilian Air Force and our national industry, the peak, the culmination of our capacity to issue requirements and especially the capacity of our national aerospace industry to develop a next-generation product", declared Air Brigadier José Augusto Crepaldi Affonso, President of the COPAC[2].
The total investment sums up to R$ 12.1 billion (the Brazilian Real is the currency of Brazil, and its present value is 1 R = 0.31 EUR[3]) out of which R$ 4.9 billion are destined to the development of the aircraft and R$ 7.2 billion for the acquisition of 28 units, informs the Brazilian Air Force[4]. The KC-390 is to become the backbone of FAB's transport aviation. Versatile, the aircraft is to take on missions such as operating on small aerial runways in the Amazon, launch paratroopers, perform search operations, refuel other aircrafts in flight, landing in Antarctica and launching cargo in flight, among others.
According to FAB, the KC-390 represents the very latest in terms of avionics: the system has an intuitive interface, facilitating Man-Machine Interaction (MMI) and reducing the workload of the flight crew, thereby increasing situational awareness. The high resolution screens allow the crew to easily access the information necessary to fulfill various types of missions, and also present the advantage that they can be configured to function in the most appropriate mode for the different phases of the mission[5].
The aircraft is equipped with the fly-by-wire (FBW) system, technology that makes it possible to control the craft's movements entirely through electrical impulses, eliminating the use of cables and rods. "This electronic system, while complex, not only makes the controls more precise but also means airplanes no longer have to be fitted with the cranks, gears, pulleys and cables on which older aviation systems relied"[6].
The aircraft's maximum load capacity is 29 tons, storing up to 23.2 tons of fuel on the wings. It can transport 80 soldiers in a troop transport configuration, or 64 paratroopers, or 74 stretchers plus a medical team or additional containers, as well as armored cars and other equipment. The armored Guarani fighting vehicle and the Blackhawk helicopter, for example, could fit into the cargo bay of the KC-390.
Out of Embraer and FAB's estimate production of more than a hundred units of the KC-390s in the first decade, most of them are aimed to replace the C-130 Hercules manufactured in the United States beginning with the 50s[7]. Among the comparative advantages it presents, one of the most significant is related to speed performance: while the C-130's most recent version can reach a maximum speed of 671 km/h, the Brazilian aircraft can reach up to 850 km/h[8].
The KC-390 has thus the capacity to deploy, faster than his predecessor in the FAB, military troops and assets in Brazil and anywhere in the world within a range of 6,019 km (maximum range with no cargo) or 3,400 km (with 19 tons of cargo).
According to Agência Força Aérea, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Portugal and the Czech Republic have already confirmed their intention to purchase the aircraft[9]. Once the assembly line is active, Embraer is expected to generate more than 12.000 direct and indirect jobs.
The new military transport airplane produced by Brazil significantly enhances the tactical, operational and strategic airlift capabilities of this large regional power, clearly prepared – and clearly wishing – to play a more and more prominent role on the trans-regional arena.
Policy Brief No.51: Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force launch the first prototype of the KC-390 military transport aircraft, significantly boosting Brazil's airlift capabilities | Morgenthau Center