Embraer Defense & Security and India’s Mahindra Aerospace & Defense have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to partner for the Indian Air Force’s Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program.
Embraer is pitching its turbofan-powered C-390 Millennium airlifter against the requirement and under the MoU, announced on 9 February, the Brazilian manufacturer and Mahindra will engage with the IAF to identify the next steps forwards and work with local industry to develop an industrialisation plan for the project.
“India is a key market for Embraer and we fully support India’s ambitions for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (a self-reliant India). We see this partnership as a symbol of strengthening relations between Brazil and India and a way to foster Global South cooperation,” commented Embraer Defence & Security’s President and CEO Bosco da Costa.
Under the terms of the MoU, Mahindra and Embraer will also explore the potential of creating a future C-390 hub in India.
“We are proud to start this partnership with Embraer, a company that is known for its engineering excellence and a unique portfolio of aircraft and systems,” added Mahindra’s Aerospace & Defense President Vinod Sahay.
“The C-390 Millennium is the most advanced military airlifter in the market, and we believe that this partnership will not only bolster the operational prowess of the Indian Air Force, but also provide an efficient industrialisation solution that aligns seamlessly with the objectives of ‘Make in India’.”
Embraer has enjoyed recent success with its C-390 in the region, when South Korea announced it the winner of the Republic of Korea Air Force’s (ROKAF) Large Transport Aircraft (LTA) II public tender.
Most recently the company announced the maiden flight of the first of two C-390s on order for the Hungarian Air Force. The aircraft performed its first flight from Embraer’s C-390 production facility and test airfield at Gavião Peixoto.
On delivery, Hungary will become the third customer to receive the new aircraft, behind the Brazilian and Portuguese Air Forces. The C-390 has now been selected by Austria, Brazil, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Portugal and South Korea.