“We approved the purchase of an additional KC-390 aircraft, the sixth from a previous package, but now approved at the original price. It’s important to highlight that this aircraft has a significant portion of domestic production, utilizing facilities and the Embraer project in Portugal,” stated the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, during a press conference following the Council of Ministers meeting.
On the 18th of this month, the Portuguese Air Force received the third KC-390 aircraft, out of a total of six acquired by the Portuguese State from the Brazilian company Embraer.
In 2019, Portugal agreed to purchase five KC-390 aircraft and a simulator from Embraer, aiming to replace the Hercules C-130.
Recently, the Minister of National Defense, Nuno Melo, announced the intention to purchase a sixth KC-390 aircraft from Embraer for the Air Force, along with the acquisition of a second simulator and the sale of 10 other aircraft to NATO countries.
As part of this process, modifications were introduced to the aircraft to meet the requirements set by alliances such as NATO, the United Nations, and the European Union, enabling the aircraft to be acquired by other countries with a profit for the Portuguese State of around 10 million euros per aircraft.
Portugal will also host the European training center for KC-390 aircraft pilots at the Beja Air Base.
The KC-390 is a versatile military transport aircraft, capable of performing tasks ranging from firefighting and search and rescue operations to medical evacuations and humanitarian aid missions.
