Embraer ready to step up KC-390 tanker investment for US, pending NGAS decision

A Portuguese Air Force KC-390 airlifter on stand at Beja Air Base (Breaking Defense)

LISBON — As it seeks to break into the American market, Brazil’s Embraer is willing to “adjust” investment in its KC-390 agile tanker to fund a purpose built refueling boom for the US Air Force, should the service’s Next Generation Air Refueling System (NGAS) reassessment signal a faster paced acquisition approach.

The Air Force is expected to share results from an NGAS analysis of alternatives in the coming days, according to Defense One, which in theory at least, should give industry a much clearer look at where a future, stealth tanker platform sits within new force design plans— modernization that has been significantly boosted by the decision to award Boeing with a Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) sixth generation, F-47 fighter jet contract.

The NGAS analysis of alternatives is part of a wider tanker fleet requirement, comprising of 455 aircraft, that Embraer has its sights on, including an “immediate need” for 120-140 units, said Frederico Lemos, Embraer Defense and Security chief commercial officer.

Should the Air Force say “‘we’re going to move now with NGAS….[or] If they say ‘we have reassessed, and our plans will be different, we [at Embraer] need to adjust that investment timeline” accordingly, Lemos said during a company sponsored visit to Lisbon. (Like other outlets Breaking Defense accepted travel and hotel accommodations from Embraer.) “To have a boom today for a market that is only coming [in] five years, doesn’t make much sense.”

As Breaking Defense first reported, Embraer and L3Harris ended a partnership to deliver the proposed agile tanker and boom design to the US market but a plan is underway to secure new collaboration — although the firm is still to determine if it will pursue future tanker aircraft tenders as a prime or in partnership with a US prime.

“We have very good discussions with companies in the US [but] again, we need to understand what is the path going forward for this capability,” said Lemos, while sharing that “most” of the major KC-390 subsystems, including engines and avionics, are manufactured in the US. International Aero Engines produces the V2500-E5 powerplant, while Collin’s Aerospace manufacturers Pro Line Fusion avionics.

“We are looking at what could be the right partnership for the boom,” Lemos said. “We see that the boom is very important for success in the US, even internationally.” He added, “we would like to maintain the flexibility of the plane with the boom,” suggesting any future collaboration will attempt to sidestep reducing the multirole capabilities of the platform.

“We are confident that we can have a boom solution in the 390 and we have different ways of integrating it,” Lemos explained. “We have studied different ways of integrating it. The requirements that we might see from the US are going to be influential on the path that we will take.”

Lemos also stated that should the KC-390 win a Pentagon contract, the company would be willing to stand up a local production line, as it has previously done for its A-29 Super Tucanos.

In terms of a specific location, he said, “nothing is written in stone” but the decision will take into consideration factors including resources, logistics and demands related to “people” and “engineering.”

Embraer also responded to a NGAS mission systems request for information last year, and based off an Air Force “indication” was expecting to receive more tenders covering “platform” specific requirements, but nothing has materialized.  “Today, we don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Lemos.

“If there’s another RfI coming….we are in touch with them, and we will respond, because we are committed to support this.”

Despite the committed effort from Embraer to eventually strike a deal with the Air Force, the US is still not part of a KC-390 user group — a forum that, despite the name, covers both current operates of the aircraft and those wanting to acquire it.

The group has grown quickly over recent years in line with a spate of European orders from Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Portugal, The Netherlands and an undisclosed customer, while Sweden and Slovakia have selected the aircraft for acquisition, but are still to place a firm order.

Maj. Gen. Joao Nogueira, director of weapon systems maintenance directorate, at the Portuguese Air Force, told journalists that the US was “not yet” part of the user group.

“That would be an outstanding step for sure, if [the] US… decided that this could be a good platform,” he added.