COLOMBIA selected Embraer’s KC-390 Millenium multi-mission aircraft for the Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana (FAC), marking a significant milestone in the modernisation of Colombia’s airlift and aerial refuelling capabilities. Colombia signed a contract for two KC-390 Millennium aircraft and mission equipment, an integrated services and support package, and a comprehensive offset programme designed to meet Colombia’s regulatory requirements.
The FAC’s KC-390 fleet will be capable of performing a wide range of missions, including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR), cargo and troop transport, airdrop operations, and air-to-air refuelling (AAR). The aircraft will also feature full connectivity to operate seamlessly alongside Colombia’s recently acquired Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F fighters, enhancing the nation’s operational readiness and interoperability.
“We are honoured by the FAC’s decision to select the KC-390 Millennium. This choice reinforces a partnership that spans more than 35 years, dating back to the FAC’s acquisition of its first Embraer aircraft, an EMB-312 Tucano followed by the A-29 Super Tucano. The KC-390 will significantly expand and strengthen Colombia’s airlift and aerial refueling capabilities, setting a new standard for operational excellence,” said Embraer Defense & Security President and CEO Bosco da Costa Junior.
The KC-390 can carry more payload (26 tonnes), fly faster (470 knots) and farther to conduct various operations including medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), search and rescue (SAR), aerial firefighting and more while operating from temporary or unpaved runways. The aircraft, when configured with quick-installation AAR equipment can operate both as a tanker and as a receiver.
In addition to the Brazilian Air Force, this next-generation multi-mission aircraft has been selected by the air forces of Portugal, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Slovakia, and Lithuania. Additionally, the KC-390/C-390 is picking up momentum across the globe with several countries in the Asia-Pacific region considering the platform to modernise strategic lift capabilities.
Before the end of July, South Korean president Lee Jae Myung inspected the Republic of Korea Air Force’s (ROKAF) first C-390 during a state visit to Brazil, the same aircraft which South Korea is expected to take delivery of later in December after completing its maiden flight earlier in March. According to media reports, the second and third aircraft are expected by next December.
Last November, Embraer and Saab successfully completed the certification flight test campaign for in-flight refuelling of Gripen E fighter by the KC-390. The flight test campaign consisted of two objectives, the first involved qualifying the Gripen E as a receiver for in-flight refuelling — a key step in validating the fighter’s performance, stability, and structural integrity throughout the operation. The second focused on verifying the compatibility of both aircraft across the KC-390’s entire flight envelope, for high-speed refuelling under both day and night conditions. The in-flight refuelling of Gripen E by the KC-390 further enhances interoperability between these two highly advanced, latest-generation aircraft.
Embraer’s industrial site in Gaviao Peixoto produces Saab Gripen Es using a Brazilian and international supply chain, including aerostructures manufactured at Saab’s facility in Sao Bernardo do Campo. With the first Brazilian-produced Gripen E unveiled in March this year.–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:EMBRAER, BLUE HOUSE)
