C-390 Millennium User Group Shows Importance Of Collaboration
KC-390 Receives Final Operational Certification
For any new aircraft that challenges the status quo, or attempts to supersede an established platform, harnessing the shared experiences of a dedicated User Group is essential. It is from those shared experiences that a platform develops and improves; it is also from that experience that other users come to share and benefit from the operational performance and capabilities of their ‘new’ aircraft.
User Groups are an established and recognised pool of real-world expertise. The most successful platforms with the greatest operational longevity do not evolve by chance; they develop through shared mutual collaboration and support. It is for this very reason that the first ever C-390 Millennium User Group meeting was held at the Beja Air Base in Portugal in March, attended by those currently successfully operating or planning to operate the new aircraft.
Organised and hosted by the Portuguese Air Force (PAF), the group brought together air, ground and support crew from the Brazilian Air Force (BAF), Hungarian Air Force (HAF), the Austrian Air Force (AAF), the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) and the Czech Air Force (CAF). It included senior representatives from Embraer and its main partners and suppliers including Elbit-ELISRA (EW Suite supplier), Rheinmetall (Full Flight Mission Simulator supplier), IAE (part of Raytheon Technologies and the engine supplier) and Collins (also part of Raytheon Technologies supplying the avionics).
Portuguese Air Force KC-390
In creating a new User Group, the purpose is to establish a perennial network and a collaborative environment for all current and future C-390 Millennium operators. While it is important to share operational experience, it is also important to explore opportunities for closer international cooperation, to support one another with training, maintenance planning, spare parts and tools.
It is similarly critical to strengthen the bonds between those air forces choosing the C-390 as their Tactical Airlift solution, and those partners/suppliers who are developing new solutions for the already-mature military platform, which received its Full Operational Capabilities (FOC) certificate in the same week of the inaugural meeting.
Since the first meeting comprised primarily air forces from European and/or NATO Members Countries, there was a particular focus on the NATO equipment under final flight testing with the PAF, as well as other systems to be integrated in the C-390 in the future. This served to highlight the well-defined process for integration and certification, shortening the timelines and minimizing the effort required to provide equipment ready and approved for operational use.
The PAF hosts presented their vision for sustaining an ‘Aircraft of this Millennium’, which included a visit to KC-390 Training Center and a tour of its Ground Support Equipment (GSE) hangars to learn more about how it is delivering sustainable operations and support for the new aircraft.
The Brazilian Air Force presented the current operational capabilities of the KC-390 and its success across a number of missions over the last three and a half years. There are currently six aircraft being operated by the BAF, with more than 9,000 flight hours between them; one aircraft has surpassed 850 flight hours in one year.
The BAF also presented the Millennium’s critical role in responding to the COVID crisis bringing hope and practical relief to those most in need. It spoke of its role in various global crises which included delivering humanitarian support to Beirut to support the victims of a devastating explosion within the port; in Haiti to support the victims of a deadly earthquake; and helping in the repatriation of Brazilians and other nationals fleeing from the conflict in Ukraine.
KC-390 of the Brazilian Air Force in Operation against COVID-19
A team from the Hungarian Air Force presented how it will operate the C-390 in a Medical Evacuation role, with Intensive Care Units (ICU) onboard; while The Royal Netherlands Air Force demonstrated how the Millennium meets its future Tactical Airlift requirements.
Embraer presented more detail around its FOC certification and highlighted possible future capabilities with a roadmap for NATO and Special Operations in line with evolving military requirements, along with the current and future support solutions and proposed multinational initiatives (NSPA[1]).
[1] NATO Support & Procurement Agency
The collaborative nature across the four days showed the dedication and passion from all involved in the C-390 Millennium Project since the beginning and established a platform from which future users can learn fast and respond under pressure.
With its new aircraft, Embraer has demonstrated a new generation of thinking, a multi-mission military transport aircraft with flexibility at its core which is setting a new standard in medium air mobility. It provides the perfect blend of mature and proven technology with state-of-the-art thinking to ensure the best of both worlds – reliability and performance. The User Group will boost even further the potential of the platform, leading to new developments and improvements being defined and giving guidance towards a common focus in prioritizing enhanced capabilities to meet the demands of a world in constant change. The strength of the Group itself will also grow as new air forces come to share their experiences.
The second C-390 Millennium User Group is already confirmed for 2024 and will be hosted by the Brazilian Air Force.
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