Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) signed an agreement on Tuesday to further study an ISR variant of the C-390 Millennium.
The goal is to evaluate the use of the airlifter as a platform for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions, with a focus on Maritime Patrol (MPA).
Embraer has already been proposing a C-390 for both ISR and MPA missions to some potential customers, including India.
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With a spacious fuselage, high performance and state-of-the-art avionics, the aircraft could take on this role for the Brazilian Air Force, which currently relies on aging P-3 Orion turboprops for maritime patrol.
“The studies to adapt the C-390 Millennium aircraft to ISR missions have evolved in a structured way, analyzing the aircraft’s capability to evolve in order to meet the current and future needs of the Brazilian Air Force, especially in relation to Maritime Patrol,” points out Lieutenant-Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, Commander of the Brazilian Air Force.
“We are honored to move forward with the FAB on studies to expand the operational capabilities of the C-390 Millennium. It reinforces our commitment to always offer our customers an aircraft capable of carrying out their most challenging missions with unparalleled efficiency,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “This is another important step in the long-term relationship built with the FAB.”
Neither the service nor Embraer revealed a timeline for the studies. The FAB currently has four P-3 Orion in its fleet, in addition to eight outdated EMB-111 Bandeirante Patrulha in service.
