Angola, a nation with deep historical and linguistic ties to Brazil, has emerged as a potential customer for Embraer’s cutting-edge KC-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft.
This revelation comes following statements made by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during his visit to the country. Embraer is one of the companies that made up the Brazilian delegation to the business seminar.
The news was unveiled by Jorge Viana, the president of Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments), during a business seminar in Luanda. Viana emphasized the potential for Angola to acquire four Embraer KC-390 aircraft, each valued at approximately 130 million dollars.
“Angola has the conditions to become a defense hub in Africa, with the acquisition of aircraft, and the revitalization of the fleet of Tucanos and Super Tucanos , with technology transfer to the country. The Angolan Air Force is also interested in purchasing four KC-390 aircraft from Embraer”.
The KC-390 is the largest aircraft ever made in the Southern Hemisphere and today has orders from the Netherlands, Portugal and Hungary, in addition to Brazil itself, which debuted the model. But no African country has so far indicated that it would be interested in the model, and Angola could be the continent’s first operator.
Angola’s current air force fleet predominantly comprises Russian-origin aircraft, including Sukhoi Su-30 fighters, the Antonov An-72 and Ilyushin IL-76, the main freighter in operation in the country. In addition, the Angolan government signed an agreement with Airbus last year to receive three C295 turboprops, two of them for maritime patrol and one for transport missions
TAAG E2 customer?
Additionally, the Angolan government has confirmed its consideration of purchasing Embraer E2 aircraft for TAAG, the country’s main commercial airline.
An Angolan government minister confirmed to Estadão that the country is interested in contracting more Embraer products. According to the minister, Taag, Angola’s commercial airline, could buy planes from the Brazilian company for regional routes.
The Angolan carrier has a fleet of 21 aircraft, including six very new Dash 8-400 turboprops and six Boeing 737-700s with an average age of 17 years. However, TAAG chose Embraer’s rival, the Airbus A220 of which it will receive nine aircraft starting next year.
