Colombia has signed a contract with Embraer to acquire two KC-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft, becoming the second South American country after Brazil to do so.
Colombia has signed a contract with Embraer to acquire two KC-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft, becoming the second South American country after Brazil to do so.
The deal, with an undisclosed value and delivery timeline, also covers mission equipment, an integrated services and support package, and a comprehensive offset program.
Once delivered, the Colombian Air Force will deploy the aircraft for a range of missions, including cargo and troop transport, air-to-air refueling, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief.
KC-390 will also join the other Embraer-made aircraft alreaedy in service, such as the A-29 Super Tucano, and operate alongside the country’s incoming Gripen fighters.
"This choice reinforces a partnership that spans more than 35 years, dating back to the [Colombian Air Force's] acquisition of its first Embraer aircraft, an EMB-312 Tucano followed by the A-29 Super Tucano,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security.
KC-390 Millennium
The KC-390 is the aerial refueling and transport variant of Embraer's twin-engine C-390 military transport aircraft.
Both share the same core airframe and performance specifications, including a payload capacity of up to 26 tons, a top speed of 470 knots (870 kilometers/540 miles per hour), and the ability to operate from paved and unpaved runways.
Embraer is also eyeing the US Air Force market, partnering with Northrop Grumman in February to position the KC-390 for potential US military tanker and transport requirements.
