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Portugal partner of the Brazilian military aircraft program

(BRUSSELS2) At a time when Europeans are debating capabilities to be developed jointly, the Portuguese Ministry of Defense has announced that it wants to participate in the development of a Brazilian aircraft, the KC390.

Portuguese Minister Augusto Santos Silva signed a declaration of intent on September 10 with his Brazilian counterpart, Nelson Jobim. Besides participating in the program, the Portuguese Armed Forces would purchase 6 aircraft. It is not the only European country interested. The Czech Republic has also shown interest in buying two copies. Both Sweden and France are also considering the possibility of buying such a device; but this emerges more from an exchange of courtesies. A sort of compensation for the purchase of either the Swedish JAS39 or the French Rafale by the Brazilian army.

Developed by Embraer, the KC390, transport aircraft or tanker, is in the category of the C130J Hercules with 23 tonnes transported (a figure revised upwards from the 19 tonnes originally planned). The first plane could fly in 2015. More than 50 copies have been sold so far: Brazil (28 aircraft), Chile (6 copies), Colombia (12 copies), Portugal (6 copies), Rep. Czech (2 copies). The United Arab Emirates also seem interested. But the Brazilian is targeting 500 copies in the long term.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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