DefenseEmbraer teams with Northrop Grumman in renewed U.S. push for KC-390 tanker
Embraer has secured Northrop Grumman as a partner in its effort to offer the KC-390 Millennium as a tactical tanker to the U.S. Air Force, bringing one of the largest American defense contractors into a program long seeking traction in Washington.
The agreement, announced in Melbourne, Florida, calls for joint work on a version of the twin-engine KC-390 equipped with an aerial refueling boom, the system standard on U.S. Air Force tankers. The aircraft currently uses hose-and-drogue pods for refueling operations.
For Embraer, a strong U.S. industrial partner is widely seen as essential in any attempt to sell a military aircraft to the Pentagon. The Brazilian manufacturer had previously teamed with L3Harris to promote the KC-390 in the United States, but that partnership was later dissolved.
Northrop Grumman brings significant weight in the U.S. defense market. The company leads the U.S. Air Force’s B-21 Raider stealth bomber program and is involved in multiple advanced aerospace and systems integration projects, giving Embraer access to established relationships within the Department of Defense.
Under the new arrangement, the companies said they will work on integrating an autonomous refueling boom and additional communications, situational awareness and survivability systems. The configuration is intended to align the KC-390 with U.S. and allied aerial refueling requirements.
The KC-390 is a medium-lift military transport powered by two turbofan engines and designed for cargo, troop transport and tanker missions. It is already in service with Brazil and several European operators, and has been selected by additional NATO countries.
Despite Embraer’s renewed campaign, the U.S. Department of Defense has so far shown no formal interest in the KC-390. The U.S. Air Force is instead examining multiple paths to modernize its aerial refueling fleet, ranging from stealthy concepts and uncrewed platforms to additional orders of the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus.
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