The deal, which includes 10 firm orders with options for 10 more aircraft, marks Embraer’s first sale of the C-390 military transport in the Middle East and largest single order to date.
Brazilian airframer Embraer has logged the first sale of its C-390 transport to a Middle East buyer, signing a 20-aircraft deal with the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE’s Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement signed the agreement on 4 May, placing a firm order for 10 C-390s and retaining options for 10 more. The twinjets will be used to expand operational airlift and humanitarian assistance capabilities for the UAE’s air force.
Specific missions identified by Abu Dhabi include cargo and troop transport, airdrop logistics and medical evacuation. An unspecified Emirati defence company is partnered with Embraer on the deal.
“This contract represents a significant operational enhancement to the UAE’s military airlift capability, strengthening force readiness and operational efficiency,” says Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, secretary general of the Tawazun Council.
“The selection of the C-390 Millennium follows a comprehensive technical and operational evaluation, ensuring high levels of performance and reliability, while supporting effective integration with existing systems and advancing the UAE’s multi-mission airlift capabilities over the long term,” he adds.
The Emirati order is a significant win for Embraer, representing the first salient into the Middle East for the company’s defence business. It also marks Embraer’s largest C-390 contract to date.
If the UAE pursues the full contingent of 20 aircraft, Abu Dhabi would have a larger C-390 fleet even than Embraer’s home country of Brazil, which has 19 of the tanker-transport jets on order.
“Embraer is fully committed to delivering the C-390 capability and providing world-class support to UAE, with the objective of building a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership,” says Bosco da Costa Junior, chief executive of Embraer Defense & Security.
The Brazilian airframer has seen significant growth for its C-390 programme over the past two years, with new orders from Sweden, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Austria, South Korea, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Launch customers Brazil and Portugal have also placed additional orders.
Embraer continues to hunt new business for the C-390, particularly in the United States, where the company partnered with US defence manufacturer Northrop Grumman to develop a boom-refuelling capability for the C-390 tanker variant.
Separately, Embraer recently completed assembly in Brazil of the first domestically produced F-39E tactical fighter for the Brazilian air force. The single-engined jet is the local designation for Saab’s latest Gripen E/F fighter, which is being assembled in Brazil under an industrial partnership between Saab and Embraer.
The F-39E is the first supersonic fighter produced in Latin America.
Embraer also continues logging orders for A-29 Super Tucano light-attack turboprops, landing sales to Uruguay, Panama, Nigeria and Portugal over the past two years.
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