Embraer expands ties with South Africa, targeting sale of C-390
Embraer has been using as a sales pitch for its aircraft the promise of industrial partnerships with countries that sign contracts with it.
This was the case recently with Poland and in recent days with Turkey. Also during LAAD, the largest defense exhibition in Latin America, Embraer signed a new Memorandum of Understanding, this time with Denel, the largest aerospace and defense company in South Africa.
According to the two companies, the MoU aims to establish potential future collaboration in the manufacture of aerostructures, maintenance, repair and overhaul of the KC-390 Millennium.
“We are thrilled to strengthen our ties with Denel, a proven aerospace leader in South Africa, as the country looks to replace its legacy military aircraft. We are looking forward to providing South Africa with the most advanced aircraft in its category while cooperating with South Africa’s defense industry,” said Fabio Caparica, Vice President of Contracts at Embraer Defense & Security.
“Our longstanding relationship spans several decades, and this collaboration will further strengthen our ties. Denel is well-equipped and is a suitably qualified industrial partner to undertake the necessary tasks envisaged for the collaboration and will significantly enhance the strategic airlift support capabilities on the African continent,” added Chris Boshoff, Group Executive CEO Aerospace of Denel.
The mention of the C-390 is not random. The airlifter is being offered to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as a replacement for the aging C-130B Hercules that have hardly flown.
The SANDF has five aircraft in its fleet, but they require maintenance services to return to service.
The South African government even launched a tender to recover the turboprops, but abandoned the plans soon after.
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Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
