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Embraer has signed a long-term contract with the Brazilian Air Force to provide support services for its KC-390 Millennium fleet, extending the company’s role beyond aircraft production into the logistics and maintenance needed to keep the military transport platform operational.
The agreement covers both KC-390 aircraft already in service and units that are still scheduled for delivery. According to the company, the goal is to strengthen operational availability, logistical efficiency and predictability for the Brazilian Air Force, known by its Portuguese acronym FAB.
The support package includes repair and maintenance of components, continued supply of spare parts, engineering services and updates to technical publications. It also provides additional services for emergency events, with procedures designed to speed up responses to the Air Force’s needs.
Brazil currently operates eight KC-390 aircraft. The latest unit was delivered in October last year, and the country’s current plan is to receive 19 transport aircraft in total, leaving 11 still to be delivered by 2034, according to Valor.
The KC-390 is a multi-mission military aircraft developed by Embraer. CNN Brasil reported, citing the company’s statement, that it can carry up to 26 tonnes and perform missions including cargo and troop transport and airdrop, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and humanitarian operations.
FAB’s General Support Commander, Air Lieutenant Brigadier Valter Malta, said the contract reinforces the Air Force’s commitment to operational readiness and fleet availability. He described the KC-390 as a strategic aircraft for Brazil’s mobility, defense and rapid-response capacity.
Carlos Naufel, president and chief executive of Embraer Services & Support, said the deal reaffirmed Embraer’s decades-long relationship with the Brazilian Air Force, with a focus on high availability and operational efficiency.
The contract also comes as Embraer continues to promote the KC-390 internationally. According to CNN Brasil, the aircraft has been selected by the air forces of Portugal, Hungary, South Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Slovakia and Lithuania.
For Embraer, support agreements are commercially important because they create long-term service revenue tied to aircraft already delivered or under contract. For Brazil’s Air Force, the deal addresses a practical constraint in defense procurement: acquiring aircraft is only part of the program, while sustained readiness depends on spare parts, maintenance capacity, engineering support and fast response when operational problems arise.