Portuguese government expresses its intention to acquire six Embraer military transport jets

10 September 2010, São José dos Campos -– In a ceremony held, today, in Lisbon, Portugal, Brazil’s Defense Minister, Nelson Jobim, and the National Defense Minister of Portugal, Augusto Santos Silva, signed a Declaration of Intent regarding participation in the development program of the KC-390 military transport jet. 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.

“We have strong historic ties of bilateral cooperation with Portugal, and are very
enthusiastic about their future participation in the KC-390 program, which will contribute decisively to strengthening that country’s aeronautics cluster,” said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President & CEO. “There is a lot of work yet to be done. The preliminary studies have been concluded and we are moving ahead to establish the final configuration of the aircraft and the primary suppliers.”

Portugal is the third country to sign an agreement to discuss involvement in an international partnership for the KC-390 in less than a month. In August, the Chilean government made official its interest in participating in the program through Enaer (Empresa Nacional de Aeronáutica), as well as to acquire six aircraft. At the beginning of this month, Colombia also signed a Declaration of Intent for cooperating and a future purchase of 12 airplanes. With the intention manifested, in July, by the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB) to acquire 28 aircraft and this decision by Portugal, the prospective future sales of the KC-390
now total 52 airplanes.

Embraer