Embraer signs memorandum with Portuguese companies to adapt the Super Tucano to European criteria

Brazil’s Embraer, Portugal’s Center of Engineering and Product Development (CEiiA) and Portuguese companies Empordef Tecnologias de Informação, S.A. (ETI), GMVIS Skysoft, S.A. (GMV) and OGMA S.A signed a Memorandum of Understanding today (24) in Lisbon for development of Portugal’s Technological and Industrial Defense Base (Base Tecnológica e Industrial de Defesa).

The signing took place during a visit by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the facilities of the Portuguese Aeronautical Industry’s General Aeronautical Material Workshops (Oficinas Gerais de Material Aeronáutico/OGMA), in Lisbon, alongside Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa and Embraer President Francisco Gomes Neto.

The memorandum highlights a potential strategic relationship in the fields of development and integration of systems involving the A-29 Super Tucano, in its recently launched A-29N version, so as to meet the needs of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries.

It includes the processes of research, technological development and innovation to expand long-term commercial relationships between the companies during the aircraft’s development, production and support to operation.

The memorandum also highlights the two countries’ capacity to work together in engineering, research and development. Moreover, through this agreement, Embraer underscores its long-term strategic commitment to Portugal in the development of its aerospace and defense ecosystem.

“It is a great satisfaction to celebrate this new stage in the relationship between Embraer and Portugal by means of its Defense industry – to us, a reference in aerospace and defense project cooperation. The results of the KC-390 Millennium strategic partnership have proven how much governments and companies from both countries, when working together, can achieve,” said Francisco Gomes Neto.

Embraer deals in Commercial and Executive Aviation, Defense & Security and Agricultural Aviation – and designs, develops, manufactures and markets aircraft and systems, providing services and support to customers in several countries.

Since it was founded in 1969, the company has delivered more than 8,000 aircraft. On average, an aircraft manufactured by Embraer takes off from somewhere in the world every dez seconds, transporting more than 145 million passengers a year.