• A Brazilian Air Force KC-390. Credit: Nigel Pittaway
    A Brazilian Air Force KC-390. Credit: Nigel Pittaway
  • One of the Embraer KC-390 prototypes at the Paris Air Show 2017. Credit: ADM Nigel Pittaway
    One of the Embraer KC-390 prototypes at the Paris Air Show 2017. Credit: ADM Nigel Pittaway
  • Embraer’s KC390 prototype at Farnborough. Delivery of the first production aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force will occur in the second half of 2018. Credit: ADM (Nigel Pittaway)
    Embraer’s KC390 prototype at Farnborough. Delivery of the first production aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force will occur in the second half of 2018. Credit: ADM (Nigel Pittaway)
  • A Brazilian Air Force KC-390 at Embraer’s test airfield at Gavião Peixoto. Credit: Nigel Pittaway
    A Brazilian Air Force KC-390 at Embraer’s test airfield at Gavião Peixoto. Credit: Nigel Pittaway
  • A RAAF KC-30A MRTT with refuelling probe extended during trials.  Credit: Defence
    A RAAF KC-30A MRTT with refuelling probe extended during trials. Credit: Defence
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One of the surprise announcements during the recent Singapore Airshow was the signing of a letter of intent for six Embraer KC-390 multi-mission transport aircraft by aviation services company Skytech.

The aircraft are earmarked for a range of defence customers and will be offered on either a medium and long-term lease basis.

Once the order is finalised, the first of the aircraft from the Embraer KC-390 production line are expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2020. In addition, the project is the first of several innovative strategies, which will also see Skytech involved in other, diverse military platforms in the near future.

Skytech, based in Lisbon, is a joint venture company created in November 2016 by Portuguese aviation services provider, HiFly and Australia’s Adagold Aviation, each with a 50 per cent stake. HiFly and Adagold have been long-term partners in the supply of airlift capabilities, including the lease of an Airbus A340-300 to the ADF for strategic airlift missions over several years.

The company also leases an Airbus A321 to the Belgian Air Force, with HiFly providing various capabilities and services, including maintenance and pilot training and, while the concept of defence forces leasing either platforms or capability is not without precedent, it is only a small market when compared with the civil aviation lease industry.

Adagold’s managing director and chairman Mark Clark says the military leasing strategy is an exciting and emerging market and Skytech is discussing a number of different projects with a range of customers across the globe.

“It’s an emerging market and the KC-390 is the first of three projects, but we’re not restricting ourselves in any way, shape or form,” he said to ADM. “It is opportunity driven and I think the underlying concept is that we are de-risking defence services.”

Skytech is the second export customer for the KC-390, behind the Portuguese Air Force, and Clark says he is very optimistic about the KC-390 platform and its capabilities that demand and contracts for more than the initial six will be forthcoming.

“It is a global effort, Skytech will be looking primarily at the European market and off the back of that, we’ll be looking for opportunities in the Asia Pacific region,” he explained. ”But we’re not restricted to that and people can approach us from anywhere on the planet and we’re keen to talk with them.”

Clarks says that Skytech is also working closely with Embraer regarding opportunities for the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer to provide a range of services, including support, supply chain solutions and training.

A RAAF KC-30A MRTT with refuelling probe extended during trials. There are synergies between the KC-390's tanker capability and the MRTT. Credit: Defence
A RAAF KC-30A MRTT with refuelling probe extended during trials. There are synergies between the KC-390's tanker capability and the MRTT. Credit: Defence

At the moment, the focus is on the airlift capabilities of the KC-390, but the aircraft will also be certified as a tanker, able to refuel both high speed (fighters) and low speed (rotary wing) aircraft and Clark says this has synergies with Skytech’s future plans to enter the MRTT market, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

“That is an integral part of our strategy, the potential interoperability between the KC-390 and the MRTT effectively provides you with force projection,” he explained.

The Royal Air Force already operates the MRTT, known as the Voyager, under a private finance initiative with the UK’s AirTanker company and several European air forces have joined the European Defence Agency initiative to share MRTT capability, so the potential market is significant.

“Following the KC-390 opportunity, Skytech is looking at tanker opportunities in Europe and, off the back of that, we’re looking for opportunities in this region as well,” Clark said. “We have a lot of experience working with HiFly, the two companies have a lot of experience dealing with Defence here and we are now able to step up again and bring all our experience to bear in the marketplace. It’s great for Australia and it’s great for Portugal. It’s a very exciting future.”

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