The sale of the Embraer KC390 to the South Korean Air Force did not please some domestic manufacturers.
Disclosure Embraer
The sale of the Embraer KC390 aircraft to the Republic of Korea Air Force, ROKAF, was a major victory for the Brazilian manufacturer, which had yet to secure a military freighter deal in Asia.
That victory was announced late last year and added to Embraer's positive annual report, which expects to sell even more aircraft, primarily the KC390, in 2024.
But when Korea announced the purchase, the industry, and especially the Korean industry, questioned the decision, not because it was a Brazilian aircraft per se, but because Korea Aerospace was already developing a similar project in the country. Industries, KAI.
This manufacturer is partially stateowned and controlled by state funds and credit agencies, similar to Brazil's BNDES. KAI is developing the MCX, which is in the final stages of basic design and will be a military freighter slightly larger than the KC390 but with similar capabilities, not to mention the same.
Another point is that KAI had already discussed the possibility of building a smaller version of the MCX that would directly compete not only with the Brazilian jet, but also with the American company Lockheed Martin's C130 Super Hércules.
And the decision to choose a finished aircraft from abroad has caused concern in the local industry, as KAI's suppliers include local industries such as Samsung, Daewoo and Hyundai.
According to the KoreaPro portal, the decision in favor of the KC390 brings “uncertainty for the MCX project”, which could be passed over or even canceled due to a more immediate and costeffective operation, which is a given for already mature aircraft Case. of the Embraer jet.
The Korean industry's concerns are wellfounded because the ROKAF only operates with C130 Hercules transport aircraft and does not have a second fleet of various aircraft, as is the case with some larger air forces.
The details of the deal with Embraer were not disclosed, but it is expected to initially sell at least three aircraft and, according to the Brazilian manufacturer, will also include “a comprehensive cooperation package with local companies, including the manufacture of a significant amount of.” Shares for the C390 Millennium through Korean partner companies and the development of a local MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) supplier.
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