US aerospace and defense company Boeing and its Brazilian counterpart Embraer have announced the establishment of a joint venture to promote and develop new markets for the C-390 Millennium multi-mission airlift and air mobility aircraft.
The new company will be named Boeing Embraer – Defense and is set to become operational after it receives regulatory approvals and meets closing conditions.
The C-390 was rebranded from the KC-390 that was developed by Embraer as a medium size tactical transport aircraft.
The C-390 Millennium can perform a variety of missions, such as aerial refueling, cargo and troop transport, cargo and paratrooper airdrop, search and rescue, aerial firefighting and humanitarian missions.
“Boeing Embraer – Defense will build on our companies’ history of collaboration across commercial and defense aerospace to unlock significant value in the state-of-the-art C-390 Millennium as it enters service and leads the next generation of airlift and air mobility aircraft,” said Marc Allen, Boeing’s president of Embraer Partnership and Group Operations.
The C-390 Millennium received its Civil Certification from the Brazilian National Aviation Agency (ANAC) in 2018 and is now in full production. In August 2019, Portugal signed a contract to acquire five aircraft with deliveries slated for 2023. The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) received its first aircraft on September 4, 2019. The delivery of the second aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force is scheduled to happen in 4Q19.
Embraer will have 51 percent ownership of Boeing Embraer – Defense, with Boeing holding the remaining 49 percent. The C-390 Millennium partnership is one of two planned joint ventures between the companies. Boeing Brasil – Commercial will be a joint venture comprising the commercial aviation operations of Embraer, with 80 percent owned by Boeing and 20 percent owned by Embraer. The companies expect their transaction to close in early 2020.
