Flight International - 10 April 2018

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REPORT

10 | Flight International | 10-16 April 2018 flightglobal.com

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KC-390 previously ground-
ed by Embraer for several
months after an October 2017
flight-test mishap returned to the
spotlight as the star of the FIDAE
air show.
The tanker/transport made its
debut at the event eight years
after the Chilean government
committed to buy the aircraft.
Chilean president Sebastián
Piñera, who took office for the
second time last month, was also
president in 2010 when his gov-
ernment committed to join the
KC-390 project as a customer.
But the KC-390 never became
an acquisition priority under the
previous Bachelet government,
and Piñera’s current policy, only
a few weeks after his return to of-

fice, is not yet known.

Speaking to FlightGlobal on

4 April, Gen Lorenzo Villalón Del

Fierro, chief of the general staff of

the Chilean air force, declined to

answer any questions about

fixed-wing procurements.

Although Chile was one of five

countries that committed to im-

port the KC-390, so far only Por-

tugal has moved forward with

plans to buy the jet-powered

type. Ten months ago, the Portu-

guese government opened nego-

tiations with Embraer to buy five

examples, with an option for a

sixth, but talks remain ongoing,

says KC-390 programme director

Paulo Gastão Silva.

Meanwhile, Embraer has a lot

of work still to do before it can

deliver the first production-

standard KC-390 by the end of

this year to the Brazilian air

force’s 11th Wing.

With only two flight test air-

craft delivered, if Embraer is to

achieve full operational capabili-

ty by 2019 it still has to conduct

“wet” refuelling missions, air-

drop heavy cargo loads and vali-

date the aircraft’s self-protection

systems, Gastão Silva says. ■

For insight and analysis of the latest de-

velopments in the defence sector, visit:

flightglobal.com/defence

FIDAE 2018

A new wind is blowing in Latin America – particularly in

Chile. A right-wing government took office in Santiago in

March, replacing a left-wing incumbent which had shown

little appetite for large military acquisitions. It is still too

early to gauge how a regional tilt towards the right might

influence procurement priorities. But the world’s biggest

military contractors returned for the 19th FIDAE air show

near the Chilean capital, hoping to learn how the region’s

political shift could influence a long list of neglected re-

quirements. Show report by Stephen Trimble

Stephen Trimble/FlightGlobal

Brazilian company sent its first prototype for appearance at FIDAE

Stephen Trimble/FlightGlobal

The Mexican air force is one Latin American operator of the C-27J

AirTeamImages

PROCUREMENT

Embraer sends reminder to Santiago

KC-390 flies in as Brazilian airframer awaits decision of returning president Piñera on Chile’s commitment to jet transport

C

hile’s next military aircraft

purchase could be a light air-

lifter. The Chilean government

published a request for informa-

tion for a light, fixed-wing trans-

port to replace at least two differ-

ent types now operated by its

army and air force, Eduardo

Munhos De Campos, marketing

and sales for Leonardo’s aircraft

division, tells FlightGlobal.

Leonardo, he says, responded

earlier this year with information

about its C-27J Spartan – a twin-

engined cargo aircraft featuring

the same avionics and engines as

the Lockheed Martin C-130J.

If the procurement moves for-

ward, Chile would replace Air-

bus Defence & Space C212s and

CN235s. The Chilean navy al-

ready operates the newer C295,

but Munhos de Campos points to

the C-27J’s growing fleet in the re-

gion, with Mexico and Peru now

operators of the type. ■

REPLACEMENT

Leonardo offers light alternative