Latin American aerospace news and aircraft projects

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Sikkimese Saber
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Embraer is in talks with India's HAL and TATA for making the C-390 locally with India onboard the partnership program.


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Also, the Brazilian Army chief visited India to explore defence cooperation opportunities and has shown interest in Indian-made Akash SAM missiles.

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If these go through, it would be the biggest defence partnership in history between Brazil and India, forging the beginning of a new defence partnership within the developing world and BRICS grouping.


I truly feel that there is a huge gap between the level at which we have started reaching out to Latin American countries like Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia in terms of defence cooperation, versus what it can be.

They are far away, have no conflict with us, and face somewhat similar challenges that we do at least internally. I hope Dr. Jaishankar's efforts there translate to something solid in defencewith these countries.
 

MiG-29SMT

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From 4 September, Embraer will be participating in South Korea at the GADLEX 2023, showcasing the manufacturers products and solutions from the realms of commercial aviation, defense, and urban air mobility businesses.

GADLEX 2023 – Gumi City
The GADLEX 2023 exhibition is to take place in Gumi City, in Gyeongsangbuk-do interestingly where Embraer signed a Memorandum of Understanding promoting key aviation-related domains in the country.

Embraer continues to have an impressive footprint in South Korea in terms of promotional activities, consultative assistance, and infrastructure project opportunities.


Photo Credit: Embraer
Raul Villaron, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Head of Asia Pacific – Embraer Commercial Aviation said, “We are honored to be at GADLEX and to be part of the Korean aerospace ecosystem.”

“Embraer is internationally recognized for the quality of its aircraft and for its long history of successful strategic partnerships.”Trending
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“Over the past two decades, Embraer has designed, built, certified, and delivered twenty-one different aircraft platforms – a reflection of Embraer’s engineering and innovation pedigree. We look forward to strengthening our engagement with the broader Korean aerospace community.”

Innovation is Embraer’s greatest playbook. In 2022 alone, nearly 50% of Embraer’s revenue came from innovation it undertook in the last five years.

 

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The strategic location of the state of Chihuahua, the development of talent and the generation of employment, position it as one of the pillars of economic growth and innovation, being for 12 consecutive years the main exporter nationwide. Mexico is a power in the aerospace industry, as it has 332 companies that employ 55,000 in the sector and exceeds 8.2 billion dollars in exports. The economy and the aerospace sector have taken an important turn with the nearshoring phenomenon, which implies attracting investment from European and Asian companies seeking to relocate in the country. So far in the administration headed by Governor Maru Campos, 102 new aerospace manufacturing operations have been established in Chihuahua, which is why it will host the sixteenth edition of Mexico's Aerospace Nearshoring Summit 2023 on September 7 and 8 in Chihuahua Expo. This event was previously held in cities such as Querétaro, Las Vegas, Paris, London, Madrid, among other regions of the world, in order to strengthen the supply chain of this industry. It will have more than 150 stands on display in which collaborating companies will present their products or services, in addition there will be conferences on attracting investment, supply chain and talent development for this industry, as well as a tour of the facilities of the Bell plants and Cessna, in the city of Chihuahua. In the meeting, the participation of 1,000 confirmed companies and 8,000 business meetings is expected, in addition, the presence of 1,500 attendees is expected, including manufacturing companies, services, professionals and students.



 

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Embraer released a video on social media with the first power on of the first KC-390 Millennium of the Hungarian Air Force. As the planemaker reported, the procedure proved the functioning of the aircraft’s primary electrical distribution system.

“With the power on stage achieved, the final assembly can evolve to the installation of more systems preparing the aircraft for the flight tests”, informed Embraer.


The maiden flight of Hungary’s first KC-390 is scheduled to take place later this year, with delivery scheduled for the second quarter of 2024.


The aircraft under construction at the Embraer factory in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil, is the first of two jets ordered by Hungary in December 2020.

The second plane should enter production in December this year, with delivery expected by the end of 2024.

 

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WASHINGTON — Austria has selected Embraer’s C-390 Millennium to recapitalize its aging fleet of C-130 Hercules tactical airlifters, according to an Embraer press release.

Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner said today the country plans to buy four of the aircraft and is weighing a joint order with the Netherlands, Reuters reported. According to Reuters, Tanner told reporters during a press conference that an order for the new jets should be on contract in the first half of 2024.

Vienna’s choices were down to two, with officials alternatively considering whether to refresh the country’s three legacy C-130K airlifters with a newer model known as the C-130J. The C-130 is built by Lockheed Martin.

According to the Embraer release, Austria will become the fifth operator of the Millennium alongside Brazil, Hungary, the Netherlands and Portugal. A team up between Embraer and Saab is also pushing the C-390 for Sweden.


 

MiG-29SMT

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The metropolitan area of Chihuahua is considered the main aerospace corridor in Mexico, since it brings together 45 companies and has 20 thousand jobs dedicated to the aerospace industry.

The above, according to the Territorial-Industrial Prospective Atlas of Mexico, developed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Mexico.

The strategic location of the state, the development of talent and the generation of employment, position it as one of the pillars of economic growth and innovation, being the main exporter at the national level for 12 consecutive years.

Mexico is a power in the aerospace industry, as it has 332 companies that employ 55 thousand in the sector and exceeds 8.2 billion dollars in exports.

The economy and the aerospace sector have taken an important turn with the phenomenon of nearshoring, which implies the attraction of investments from European and Asian companies seeking to relocate to the country.

Currently, the country offers competitive advantages that drive the growth of nearshoring; The proximity to North America, the qualified workforce and trade agreements are factors that attract foreign companies to invest or expand their operations in Mexico.

So far during the administration headed by Governor Maru Campos, 102 new aerospace manufacturing operations have been established in Chihuahua, which is why it will host the sixteenth edition of Mexico's Aerospace Nearshoring Summit 2023 on September 7 and 8 in Chihuahua Expo.

This event was previously held in cities such as Querétaro, Las Vegas, Paris, London, Madrid, among other regions of the world, with the aim of strengthening the supply chain of this industry.

It will have more than 150 stands on display in which collaborating companies will present their products or services, in addition there will be conferences on investment attraction, supply chain and talent development for this industry, as well as a tour of the Bell plant facilities. . and Cessna, in the city of Chihuahua.

The participation of 1,000 confirmed companies and 8 thousand business meetings is expected at the meeting, and the presence of 1,500 attendees is expected, including manufacturing companies, services, professionals and students.

The state of Chihuahua takes advantage of the opportunities that it has developed for more than 50 years in the aerospace sector, which is one of the first industries to be established in the territory and that undoubtedly positions it as a leader in the attraction and arrival of extra companies. . njeras.

Recently, Governor Maru Campos announced investments of 40 million dollars in this sector, which will be led by the companies SAFRAN and Regal Rexnord, which will generate 1,900 jobs in the medium and long term. These announcements were made at the Paris Airshow 2023, the most important global aerospace fair.

 

skunk works

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The metropolitan area of Chihuahua is considered the main aerospace corridor in Mexico, since it brings together 45 companies and has 20 thousand jobs dedicated to the aerospace industry.

The above, according to the Territorial-Industrial Prospective Atlas of Mexico, developed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Mexico.

The strategic location of the state, the development of talent and the generation of employment, position it as one of the pillars of economic growth and innovation, being the main exporter at the national level for 12 consecutive years.

Mexico is a power in the aerospace industry, as it has 332 companies that employ 55 thousand in the sector and exceeds 8.2 billion dollars in exports.

The economy and the aerospace sector have taken an important turn with the phenomenon of nearshoring, which implies the attraction of investments from European and Asian companies seeking to relocate to the country.

Currently, the country offers competitive advantages that drive the growth of nearshoring; The proximity to North America, the qualified workforce and trade agreements are factors that attract foreign companies to invest or expand their operations in Mexico.

So far during the administration headed by Governor Maru Campos, 102 new aerospace manufacturing operations have been established in Chihuahua, which is why it will host the sixteenth edition of Mexico's Aerospace Nearshoring Summit 2023 on September 7 and 8 in Chihuahua Expo.

This event was previously held in cities such as Querétaro, Las Vegas, Paris, London, Madrid, among other regions of the world, with the aim of strengthening the supply chain of this industry.

It will have more than 150 stands on display in which collaborating companies will present their products or services, in addition there will be conferences on investment attraction, supply chain and talent development for this industry, as well as a tour of the Bell plant facilities. . and Cessna, in the city of Chihuahua.

The participation of 1,000 confirmed companies and 8 thousand business meetings is expected at the meeting, and the presence of 1,500 attendees is expected, including manufacturing companies, services, professionals and students.

The state of Chihuahua takes advantage of the opportunities that it has developed for more than 50 years in the aerospace sector, which is one of the first industries to be established in the territory and that undoubtedly positions it as a leader in the attraction and arrival of extra companies. . njeras.

Recently, Governor Maru Campos announced investments of 40 million dollars in this sector, which will be led by the companies SAFRAN and Regal Rexnord, which will generate 1,900 jobs in the medium and long term. These announcements were made at the Paris Airshow 2023, the most important global aerospace fair.

Is there good aerospace talent in mexico? What are some good schools for this?
 

MiG-29SMT

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Is there good aerospace talent in mexico? What are some good schools for this?
for manufactuire yes in Queretaro city, for design, we are not the best but middle level, but still far from USA, Russia Europe, China, Canada. Brazil or Israel
 

MiG-29SMT

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SIATT and GRUPO EDGE announce strategic partnership for the development of MANSUP-ER
Editor
November 14, 2023
Featured, EDGE Group

Companies sign strategic partnership contract to develop an extended-range version of the Brazilian Navy's MANSUP anti-ship missile

Dubai (UAE), November 14, 2023 – SIATT, a Brazilian company specializing in smart weapons and high-tech systems, and GRUPO EDGE, a Defense conglomerate from the United Arab Emirates, signed a contract for the development of MANSUP-ER, version of extended range in the MANSUP (National Surface Anti-Ship Missile), of the Brazilian Navy.


The new missile has an extended range of 200 kilometers, equipped with a Turbomachine turbine, flies at a speed of 950 km/h, with the capacity to carry 150 kg of explosive charge. Its characteristics allow it to be adapted for integration into selected aerial systems and terrestrial systems.

The strategic partnership was formalized by the president of the EDGE Missiles & Weapons Cluster, Hamad Al Marar, the CEO of SIATT, Antonio Rogerio Prattes Salvador, and the Director of Competitiveness at SIATT, Carlos Alberto de Paiva Carvalho, this Tuesday (14 ), during the Dubai Air Show.

The celebration was attended by the Hon. Mr. Ambassador of Brazil to the Emirates Sidney Leon Romero, by Dr. Juliana Larenas, Undersecretary of SEPROD (Secretariat of Defense Products), and by Rear Admiral Marcelo Menezes Cardoso, director of DSAM (Directorate of Navy Weapons Systems), representing, respectively, the Ministry of Defense and the Brazilian Navy.

SIATT led the development of the Navy's MANSUP project, being responsible for the Guidance, Navigation and Control System and the Telemetry System.

MANSUP-ER will be the first project carried out through cooperation with GRUPO EDGE and highlights the expertise of the Brazilian industry.

“This contract consolidates the partnership between SIATT and GRUPO EDGE, and represents a significant contribution to Brazil's technological sovereignty”, said Antonio Salvador, CEO of SIATT.


About EDGE GROUP

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, GRUPO EDGE is one of the world's leading advanced technology conglomerates, established to develop solutions for Defense. Its activities are mainly concentrated in four clusters: Platforms and Systems, Missiles and Weapons, Electronic Warfare and Cyber Technologies, and Commerce and Mission Support. In September, the group announced its participation in SIATT, aiming to develop intelligent Defense solutions for Brazil and the world.
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About SIATT

Headquartered in São José dos Campos (SP), one of the main technological hubs in Brazil, SIATT (Integrated Systems of High Technological Content) has a team of highly qualified professionals, committed to innovation and technological development in Brazil.

Certified as an EED (Strategic Defense Company) by the Brazilian Ministry of Defense, it has a long history of successful projects in collaboration with the Navy and Army.

It is a company that designs, develops and manufactures Integrated Systems with high technological value aiming to serve national and international markets, with state-of-the-art technological development in strategic sectors.


 

MiG-29SMT

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Air Serbia plans to continue developing its Embraer fleet through its partnership with Greece’s Marathon Airlines, noting that adding an aircraft such as the Airbus A220 would bring no benefits to the company’s existing business strategy for the time being. Responding to a question about the A220 from “Aerotime Hub”, Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said, “Other than being rebranded from its original name into Airbus, the A220 has nothing in common with Airbus. So, you cannot use the benefit of the cockpit commonality, which you have, in our case, with A319s, A320s and A330s where you can use the same pilot. There is no benefit to you if you introduce it because it will be treated as a new aircraft type. You will need new CAMO, engineers, new pilots, new crew and so on”.

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MiG-29SMT

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Embraer delivers upgraded fifth E-99 aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force
24/11/2023
Gavião Peixoto, Brazil, November 23, 2023 Embraer (NYSE: ERJ, B3: EMB3) has delivered to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) its fifth EMB 145 AEW&C aircraft, upgraded and designated as E-99M in the FAB. The aircraft has been updated to perform Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) functions, as well as participate in intelligence, surveillance, and airborne reconnaissance missions.
“The delivery of the fifth E-99 is an important milestone for the E-99M project. This is the first aircraft delivered in FOC (Full Operational Capability) configuration, with systems fully certified for use by the Brazilian Air Force for protecting the country and its national sovereignty,” says Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. The executive further states, “The four aircraft previously delivered will be upgraded so that they can fully perform all the missions for which they were designed.”

 

MiG-29SMT

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian planemaker Embraer said on Wednesday that Canada's Porter Airlines placed a firm order for an additional 25 E195-E2 aircraft for $2.1 billion.

The deal, which will be added to Embraer's backlog in the fourth quarter, adds to a firm order of 50 jets from Porter, with 25 more purchasing rights remaining.

Embraer has delivered 24 units of the jet to Porter, which has been flying the aircraft since earlier this year.


"These additional 25 orders enable us to continue extending our reach throughout North America, with more exciting new destinations," said Porter CEO Michael Deluce in a statement.

The world's third-largest planemaker behind Boeing and Airbus has been trying to make the passenger jet break into the U.S. market by showing carriers it can be used as a "small narrow-body".


 

MiG-29SMT

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Mexico's aerospace exports had greater-than-expected growth in 2023, estimating to reach $9.4 billion by the end of 2023, according to the United States Department of Commerce in its publication on trade opportunities.

Aerospace Exports increased from $6.6 billion in 2020 to $6.7 billion in 2021 and then to $8.1 billion in 2022. Like much of the Mexican economy, in 2020-2021, the aerospace industry was severely affected by the COVID pandemic. 19. According to the Federation of the Aerospace Industry (FEMIA), Mexican production decreased between 25 and 45 percent in 2020. The sector was strongly affected by the global drop in passenger air traffic, estimated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) by a total of 48 percent. Despite this, Mexico has fared better than most countries in its recovery and Mexico's aerospace industry is now the seventh largest export market for the United States.
 

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AT Engine, a company that specializes in the manufacturing of rotating aeronautical components that make up an aircraft engine, seeks to optimize its processes in order to produce its parts more quickly and meet its annual sales goals.

“2023 has been a great challenge, since it is the second year that we started selling, so we went from selling from 120-150 units to 390. We are going to reach the goal of 800 this year. From here until we reach 7,600, which is the plan,” commented Jahaziel Gómez Gil, leader of Metrology and Geometric Inspection at AT Engine México.



Meet our goal


“One of next year's goals is to go from 800 to 1,800 pieces sold. It will be a very big challenge, because right now the manufacturing time for a part, the one that is made the fastest, is one month, but we hope with the expertise that we are learning in all areas, to do it more effectively and comply with our goal,” he added.

Part of the technology they are using for their objective comes from the British company Renishaw, with which they have been working since 2021, mainly with the REVO head, with which they addressed their roughness measurement problem.



Reliable results


“This technology has helped us a lot because we went from having unreliable results and remeasurements to having reliable results from the first time,” emphasized Gómez Gil.

AT Engine, a company in the aerospace sector resulting from an alliance between Grupo Punto Alto and the German Aerotech Peissenberg, is located in Hermosillo, Sonora, and provides parts that are assembled into Leap engines from Airbus and Boeing.

 

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UAE’s EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defence groups, has partnered with Brazilian turbine engine developer Turbomachine to develop next-generation engines for UAVs and missiles.
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The strategic agreement will see the two companies work closely together on the research, innovation, engineering and development of gas turbine engines and plasma-assisted combustion solutions.

The goal is to create more powerful and efficient engines that can meet the needs of EDGE’s growing portfolio of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles.

“This partnership is a major step forward for EDGE in our mission to advance aerospace technology,” said Hamad Al Marar, President of EDGE’s Missiles and Weapons cluster. “Together with Turbomachine, we will develop cutting-edge engines that will give us a significant edge in the defence market.”

Alberto Carlos Pereira Filho, CEO/Founder of Turbomachine, said: “We are excited to partner with EDGE on this important project. Our collaboration will combine our respective strengths in research and development, engineering, and manufacturing to create world-class engines that will set new standards for performance and efficiency.
 

MiG-29SMT

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RIO DE JANEIRO—A Brazilian company has launched development of a two-spool, 6,000-lb.-thrust turbofan engine for future drones and missiles,


Brazilian Firm Starts Developing 6,000 lb.-Thrust Turbofan Engine
April 13, 2023

A Turbomachine TJ1000 turbojet engine that could power a future anti-ship missile was on display at the LAAD Defense and Security event in 2023.
Credit: Steve Trimble/AWST


 

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The French company Safran Cabin, world leader in the manufacturing of aeronautical products, announced an investment of 16.3 million dollars (mdd) for the expansion of its manufacturing operations in Chihuahua, where it contemplates the creation of 580 new jobs.

Jorge Ortega, CEO of the firm, announced the news to Governor Maru Campos, during an interview they held within the framework of her participation in the Paris Air Show 2023 Aerospace Fair.

With this expansion project, the company will begin to migrate to the manufacturing of parts for turbines of the Airbus A330neo aircraft. To achieve this, it will have an Engineering Center that will start this year with 50 specialists, with growth plans of up to 200 professionals in the area.

In the Cabin Engineering Center, the different configurations for the Boeing 737 and A350 models will also be designed.

The Safran Cabin project currently manufactures the service areas of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, such as bathrooms and kitchens.

It should be noted that upon arrival in Mexico, Safran chose Chihuahua to install its first plant thanks to the purchase of American Industries' Aero-tech operation.

It currently has six business units and more than 4 thousand employees in the state, and is also the main employer in the aerospace sector, both locally and throughout the country.


 

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If the planned schedule is met, in February or March 2024, on the runway of the General Rodríguez airfield, the AV-100 “ePower” will taxi for the first time. It will not be just another flight, like the hundreds that take off daily in the country. The aircraft that will take to the air will be the first prototype of an electric aircraft designed, built and assembled in Argentina by a team of fifteen technicians from the company Aviem and the Faculty of Engineering of the University of La Plata.
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In appearance, the AV-100e is an ordinary aircraft, designed by Argentine aeronautical engineers. But it has a peculiarity that makes it unique: the propeller of this experimental aircraft will not be driven by a traditional combustion engine nor will it consume gasoline and oil. The ePower, as its name indicates, will move based on an electric motor, powered by lithium batteries.
 

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Honeywell manufactures its turbines at its machining plant in Chihuahua, Mexico. The grinding, milling, turning and drilling processes are carried out regularly in the factory, in facilities equipped with the most modern machinery.

The turbines manufactured here have diameters between 35 and 43 cm. Most of them are made of titanium, except for one, which is made of aluminum.

The Chihuahua plant is a supplier to Honeywell's assembly plant in Phoenix, Arizona, where aircraft turbines are assembled and tested.
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If the reference of a finished workpiece is off-center, the turbine must undergo a design analysis, where a technician checks the component and decides if it can be used.

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Four years after delivering the first C-390 Millenium military cargo plane to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), Embraer finally sees concrete progress in the commercialization of the largest aircraft it has ever developed to other countries. Until 2022, the company had only signed contracts with Portugal (in 2019), Hungary (2020) and the Netherlands (2022). On the other hand, only last year, it reached agreements with Austria, the Czech Republic and South Korea. There are still talks with Saudi Arabia and India.

Announced in 2009, the C-390 program cost US$4.5 billion (approximately R$22 billion) and was developed in partnership with the FAB. Despite impressing with its technical quality, the plane – which is called KC-390 when it has the option of mid-flight refueling – had been disappointing the financial market in terms of sales.

Now, however, there is a positive expectation with the possibility that orders, which have already become more frequent, will increase in volume. In India, for example, Embraer is competing to sell 40 to 80 planes. At the moment, the Brazilian company is negotiating a local partner to be its representative in the country – a requirement made by the Indian government.

Embraer Defense & Security holds C-390 Millennium Day in India
Embraer Defense & Security holds C-390 Millennium Day in India
There are also negotiations with Saudi Arabia, where a fleet of 60 aircraft needs to be retired (23 of them ready to be replaced by the C-390). To sell to the country, Embraer may have to establish a final assembly line for the plane there or transfer maintenance, training and parts manufacturing activities.

These requirements are common in sales of equipment to the armed forces. Another difficulty is market restrictions. If Embraer intended to sell, for example, a freighter to Israel, its aircraft could not have any parts manufactured in a country considered an enemy of Jerusalem. Today, the Brazilian company's market is made up of countries aligned with the United States.

According to Alberto Valerio, an analyst at UBS BB, the company has made progress in political negotiations and in adapting the planes according to government demands. This process is time-consuming, he adds, but it is now having an effect.

According to Alberto Valerio, an analyst at UBS BB, the company has made progress in political negotiations and in adapting the planes according to government demands. This process is time-consuming, he adds, but it is now having an effect.

The company also strengthened its defense sales team abroad. The president of Embraer Defense & Security, João Bosco Costa Jr, who took office just over a year ago, established a sales director in Europe and expanded the team that reports to this professional, with employees in South Korea, Saudi Saudi and the Netherlands. Before that, defense commercials were concentrated in Brazil.

The restructuring of the sales team replaces the model that was planned for Embraer Defense before the pandemic. Until the beginning of 2020, when the agreement to sell Embraer's commercial aviation division to Boeing was in place, the idea was that a joint venture (JV) formed by the two companies, but with control of the Brazilian company, would be responsible for commercializing the C-390.

This JV would set up an assembly line in the US, which would allow direct sales to the US government. For Embraer to sell a military aircraft to the US today, it needs an American company to negotiate.

Meet the Embraer freighter
Load capacity is 23 tons; the plane has 2 names: C-390 and KC-390 (in the version that can be refueled in the air)




With the new sales team, Bosco Costa Jr. hopes to increase the sales pace. “We have very positive prospects for the C-390. We have high expectations that new operators will choose the model in 2024 and 2025. We are imagining a better 2024 than 2023″ (read more here).

The sale of a greater volume of freighters is important to dilute fixed production costs and increase Embraer's defense area margin, which could increase the company's value on the stock exchange, according to market analysts.

Today, the defense segment is the company's smallest, having been responsible for just 9.6% of net revenues in the first nine months of 2023. In the same period in 2014, when it reached its best moment in the last 20 years, this number reached to 26%.

Until 2022, stock analysts celebrated the fact that, with the C-390 ready, Embraer's defense division had, at least, stopped generating expenses for the company. With cost revisions and an accident with one of the prototypes, the project had previously worried investors, and the expectation was that the division would have an increasingly smaller stake in the company.

“We still see little value in the defense area, but if you asked me last year about expectations for the segment, I would have said that it was difficult for the company to achieve anything. Today, I already think that, although difficult, it can happen”, he says
Alberto Valerio.

Austrian Ministry of Defense selects the C-390 Millennium as its new military transport aircraft
Austrian Ministry of Defense selects the C-390 Millennium as its new military transport aircraft
According to him, there was great expectation surrounding the C-390 since the plane began to be developed, and orders for dozens of units were expected to be placed. What was seen, however, were timid orders. Portugal bought five freighters and Hungary two. The Netherlands, Austria and the Czech Republic selected the model to acquire, respectively, five, four and two aircraft. “What we saw were crumbs,” says Valerio.

In Brazil, there was also great disappointment. In 2021, the Air Force unilaterally decided, under the justification of budget constraints, to reduce its order from 28 to 15 freighters. After months of negotiations, it was agreed that there would be 19 units – despite the contract providing that the order value could be reduced by a maximum of 25%, which meant the sale of 21 units.

The company's calculations, however, still indicate that, over the next 20 years, 490 freighters will have to be replaced worldwide, a market worth US$60 billion (almost R$300 billion) in which the C-390 is capable. to stand out.

 

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