SAO PAULO, Aug 4 (Reuters) – Brazilian planemaker Embraer said on Tuesday that Colombia has signed a contract to buy two KC-390 Millennium planes, as outgoing President Gustavo Petro seeks to modernize the country’s military fleet.
Reuters first reported in May that Embraer was in talks with Colombia for a KC-390 deal. The announcement follows a 2025 agreement with Saab for Gripen fighter jets that is expected to include production in Brazil in partnership with Embraer.
• Colombia is the first Latin American country beyond Brazil and 13th worldwide to select Embraer’s KC-390 Millennium, a competitor to Lockheed Martin’s C-130 Hercules.
• Petro had criticized bureaucratic obstacles to his fleet modernization plans after a C-130 crashed in March.
• Colombia’s KC-390 jets will feature connectivity to operate alongside the Gripen fighters, Embraer said.
• The contract also includes mission equipment, an integrated services and support package, and an offset program meeting Colombia’s regulatory requirements.
(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Mark Porter and Rod Nickel)
