Czech + Portuguese participation in KC-390 programme........

[Stratofreighter]

...so we may see the Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft in European skies in future...

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... ogram.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Defence Ministers of Portugal and Brazil Sign Memorandum of Understanding on the KC-390

(Source: Portuguese Ministry of Defence; issued Sept. 10, 2010)

(Issued in Portuguese; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.cm)

Minister of National Defence Augusto Santos Silva, will today Friday, at 11:15 hours, host his Brazilian counterpart, Nelson Jobim, for a bilateral meeting.

The meeting between the ministers and their delegations will take place in Fort St. Julian of Barra, Oeiras.

Subsequently, at about 12:30, a ceremony will be held for the signature of a Declaration of Intent concerning the participation of Portugal in the KC-390 aircraft, after which the two ministers will be available to take questions from the media.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Last month, Chile and Colombia both signed agreements to join the Embraer KC-390 program to develop a twin-turbofan military transport and tanker aircraft.)

[Trueno]

Good news! Here some more...

http://br.reuters.com/article/businessN ... J520100910" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers

Trueno

[SquAdmin]

Let's hope they'll paint it like shown on the the wikipedia page:

[ehusmann]

Luchtvaartnieuws (no link, since it is in the members only section) is now mentioning that also Czech Republic is interested in the program and would eventually like to buy 2 of them...
Now I would love to see one of these in the Czech camo colours!

Erwin

[michel N]

I can't help it but to me it looks like a Kawasaki C-1/C-2. Hopefully they also paint it that way....


regards,

Michel

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.embraer.com.br/institucional ... h-I-10.pdf

EMBRAER ANNOUNCES DISCUSSIONS ON PARTNERING WITH THE CZECH
REPUBLIC IN THE KC-390 PROGRAM

Czech government manifests its intention to acquire two military transport jets from Embraer

São José dos Campos, September 13, 2010

– In a ceremony held, today, in Prague, Czech Republic, the Defense Ministers of Brazil, Nelson Jobim, and the Czech Republic, Alexandr Vondra,
signed a Declaration of Intent regarding the European country’s participation in the
development program of the KC-390 military transport jet.

The agreement marks the beginning of negotiations for the involvement of Czech industry in the design and manufacture of the new airplane, as well as the future acquisition of two KC-390 aircraft by the Czech government.


“We are very pleased with the interest shown by the Czech government in participating in the
KC-390 program, and we trust that the country will become one more partner in this successful
endeavor,” said Orlando José Ferreira Neto, Embraer Executive Vice President, Defense
Market, who was also present at the ceremony.

“The new agreement reaffirms the KC-390’s potential for success. We are enthusiastic about the prospects of having this cooperation with the Czech Republic’s long-standing aeronautics industry, and we believe that this can be the beginning of a solid, long-term relationship.”

This is Embraer’s fourth announcement of negotiations regarding international partnerships
for the KC-390 program, since the 47th Farnborough International Airshow, in England, in
July, when the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) revealed its intention to acquire 28 of the jets.

Chile, Colombia, and Portugal have already begun discussions to establish the conditions for
their participation in the design and manufacture of the new military transport jet.

With the Czech Republic joining the negotiations, this could result in the sale of 54 KC-390 airplanes to the air forces of these five countries.

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... -390s.html

DATE:13/09/10
SOURCE:Flight International

Embraer: Portugal could buy six KC-390s
By Craig Hoyle

Portugal could acquire six Embraer KC-390 tactical transports following the signature of a declaration of intent by defence minister Augusto Santos Silva and his Brazilian counterpart Nelson Jobim.

Lisbon's show of support further strengthens Embraer's developmental KC-390, coming swiftly after Chile and Colombia made similar commitments to the programme worth a combined 18 aircraft.

"The agreement marks the beginning of negotiations for Portuguese companies to join the project and to participate in the manufacture of the new airplane, as well as the future acquisition of six aircraft for the Portuguese air force," says Embraer.

"We have strong historic ties of bilateral co-operation with Portugal, and are very enthusiastic about their future participation in the KC-390 programme, which will contribute decisively to strengthening that country's aeronautics cluster," says company chief executive Frederico Fleury Curado.

The Brazilian air force is expected to be the launch operator of the KC-390 twinjet, with the service having identified an initial requirement for 28 examples.

Embraer has yet to freeze the tanker/transport's final design configuration, or to confirm its main equipment suppliers.

© Embraer

Portugal's commitment represents a blow to Airbus Military, which assembles the A400M in neighbouring Spain.

Lisbon was previously interested in the larger design, but withdrew from the European programme before its formal launch in 2003.

The Portuguese air force already operates 15 of Airbus Military's C-212 light and C-295 medium transports, plus six Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules, as listed in Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.