Embraer is again pursuing potential C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft sales in Colombia and Chile as the Brazilian manufacturer seeks to expand the jet’s presence in Latin America.
Chief executive Francisco Gomes Neto told Reuters that the company is in talks with both countries, although he acknowledged regional procurement campaigns tend to move more slowly because of budget approvals and political processes.
Brazil remains the only Latin American operator of the C-390 despite more than a decade of discussions involving several countries in the region.
Chile and Colombia have long appeared among the aircraft’s most likely regional prospects. Chile has previously been linked to a requirement for six aircraft, while Colombia has evaluated a fleet of up to 12 units, but neither country has signed a preliminary agreement so far.
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“These campaigns in Latin America sometimes take a bit longer than normal,” Gomes Neto told Reuters. “But they have a need, they like the aircraft, and they have a very close relationship with the Brazilian Air Force.”
According to the executive, Colombia could move faster because of the country’s current military modernization efforts following the March crash of a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules that killed 70 people. Gomes Neto described the Chilean campaign as a medium-term effort.
Embraer displayed the C-390 to Chilean President José Antonio Kast during the FIDAE air show held last month in Santiago.
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The company has been trying for years to secure a first export customer for the aircraft in Latin America, a symbolic step for a program that already achieved international sales success in Europe and the Middle East.
Argentina, whose state-owned aerospace company FAdeA manufactures components for the C-390 program, has also long been associated with possible acquisition rumors but has never formally announced plans to purchase the aircraft.
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Embraer recently secured an order for up to 20 C-390s from the United Arab Emirates, marking the first sale of the aircraft in the Middle East.
The manufacturer expects production to gradually increase as supply chain conditions improve, with output projected to reach 10 aircraft annually by 2030.
