Embraer partners with Mahindra for C-390 Millennium project in India
The C-390 Millennium is the most advanced military airlifter in the market
Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer Defense and Security has announced a partnership diversified Indian conglomerate, Mahindra Group, with the objective of jointly fulfilling the acquisition of the C-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft by the Indian Air Force in its upcoming Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) procurement project.
According to a press statement by Embraer, it signed an MoU with the Indian entity at the Embassy of Brazil in New Delhi. Embraer says that along with Mahindra it will engage with the Indian Air Force to identify the next steps of the MTA programme as well as contact the local aerospace industry in India to start developing the industrialisation plan for the project.
Embraer says that along with Mahindra it will engage with the Indian Air Force to identify the next steps of the MTA programme as well as contact the local aerospace industry in India to start developing the industrialisation plan for the project
“We are honoured to announce this MoU with Mahindra. India has a diverse and strong defence and aerospace industry, and we have chosen Mahindra as our partner to jointly pursue the MTA programme. India is a key market for Embraer and we fully support India’s ambitions for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. We see this partnership as a symbol of strengthening relations between Brazil and India and a way to foster Global South cooperation,” says Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO, Embraer Defense and Security.
“We are proud to start this partnership with Embraer, a company that is known for its engineering excellence and a unique portfolio of aircraft and systems. The C-390 Millennium is the most advanced military airlifter in the market, and we believe that this partnership will not only bolster the operational prowess of the Indian Air Force, but also provide an efficient industrialisation solution that aligns seamlessly with the objectives of Make in India,” says Vinod Sahay, President Aerospace and Defence Sector and Member of Group Executive Board, Mahindra.
The statement adds that the MoU was signed by Embraer Defense and Security and Mahindra Defence Systems, a subsidiary of Mahindra, that focuses on armoured transport and security-related products including electronics.
It says that Embraer has an established presence in India across the fields of defence, commercial aviation and executive aviation. In August 2023, Embraer held a C-390 Millennium Day in New Delhi, India to deepen engagement with the local aerospace industry which was very well attended by the Indian ecosystem.
Embraer says that the C-390 Millennium multi-mission tactical transport aircraft offers unmatched mobility, combining high productivity and operating flexibility with low operating costs, which is an unbeatable combination.
It says that the collaboration around the C-390 Millennium will bring the latest technology in terms of aerospace & military transport aircraft to India. Both Embraer and Mahindra will explore the potential to turn India into a future hub of the C-390 aircraft for the region.
Since entering operation with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and most recently with the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, the C-390 has proven its capacity, reliability, and performance, adds the statement.
It says that the current fleet of aircraft in operation has accumulated more than 11,500 flight hours, with operational availability of around 80 pc and mission completion rates above 99 pc, demonstrating exceptional productivity in the category. The C-390 Millennium attained its Full Operational Capability status by the Brazilian Air Force in 2023, which endorses the platform’s capability to carry out all missions it was designed to undertake.
Embraer says that to date, the C-390 Millennium has been selected by Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic and most recently, South Korea.
The statement adds that C-390, the most modern military transport aircraft in the market, can carry more payload of 26 tonnes compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft and flies at a speed of 870 km/h. or 470 knots. It is capable of performing a wide range of missions such as transporting and dropping cargo and troops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, aerial firefighting, and humanitarian missions, operating on temporary or unpaved runways such as packed earth, soil, and gravel.
The aircraft configured with air-to-air refuelling equipment, with the designation KC-390, has already proven its aerial refuelling capacity both as a tanker and as a receiver, in this case by receiving fuel from another KC-390 using pods installed under the wings, the statement adds.
