BENGALURU: The C-390 Millennium, one of the youngest multi-mission tactical air transport aircraft in the world, has landed at Aero India for the first time, in a bid to showcase its cutting-edge features and capabilities. A product of leading Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, the C-390 entered service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019. Its presence in India for the first time is significant.
According to reports, the Indian Air Force is in search of a new medium transport aircraft (MTA), for which a request for information (RFI) was released recently to identify manufacturers for planes in the 18-30 tonne payload. This is with an aim to replace IAF’s ageing fleet of AN-32s. Reports also suggest that Embraer could be looking at tapping this potential demand with its new product.
“We are proud to bring Embraer’s iconic C-390 Millennium to India for our guests to experience the true capabilities of this 21st-century military multi-mission aircraft,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO, Embraer Defense & Security. “India is a key market for Embraer, and we are keen to establish partnerships in the country... We look forward to engaging with India’s defence and aerospace ecosystem at this event,” he added. The C-390 Millennium’s multi-mission platform offers a range of class-leading features, including a low operating costs and fast turnaround.
According to the release, the aircraft can carry more cargo (26 tonnes) compared to other medium-sized military cargo aircraft and flies faster (470 kts) and further on a standard crew duty day. The aircraft is also equipped to carry out a wide range of missions using the same platform, including Air-to-Air (in-flight) Refuelling (AAR) for fixed and rotary wing aircraft, airborne operations, troop and cargo transportation, humanitarian missions, medical evacuation, firefighting, and search and rescue, among others. Besides, it is designed to operate on semi-prepared or damaged runways, as well as in hostile environments and different weather conditions. Besides its home-country, Embraer’s order book for the C-390 Millennium includes Portugal and Hungary, while it has also been selected by the Netherlands.