Boeing and Embraer have entered into an agreement to collaborate on the KC-390 program, under which the companies will share some technical knowledge and evaluate markets where they may join their sales efforts for medium-lift military transport opportunities. The KC-390 is a Brazilian Air Force project for which Embraer signed the development contract in April 2009. It is the biggest aircraft to be manufactured by the Brazilian aerospace industry and will set new standards in the medium-lift market in terms of performance, cargo capacity, flexibility and life cycle costs. Boeing has extensive experience in military transport and in-flight refuelling aircraft. The KC-390 collaboration is part of a broader agreement that Boeing and Embraer signed in April.
“This collaboration matches Boeing’s proven excellence in military transport with Embraer’s KC-390 accomplishments to further advance this highly capable and efficient medium-lift aircraft,” said Dennis Muilenburg, President and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Boeing and Embraer will conduct a joint market assessment for the medium-lift military transport market and analyse business collaboration models. The market assessment includes potential customers that had not been considered in the initial market prospects for the KC-390.