KC-390 at US Special Operations Forces Week
May 6, 2025
SOF Week, which takes place from 5-7 May 2025 in Tampa, Florida, is the premier global gathering of special operators, industry leaders, and strategic partners and serves as a platform to learn and connect. Fresh from attending the 47th edition of ARSAG (Aerial Refuelling Systems Advisory Group) conference in Las Vegas, Embraer Defense & Security is exhibiting at the SOF event for the first time. It intends to promote the multi-mission capabilities of the medium airlift and tanker platform for special forces operations.
During the three-day event, a Brazilian Air Force KC-390 Millennium was put on display at Sheltair Aviation, at the nearby Tampa International Airport. Visitors can sign up for transportation to and from the aircraft at the Embraer booth.
Embraer had been targeting a potential USAF requirement for 75-150 ‘Bridge Tankers’ under the so-called ‘KC-135 Recapitalization Program’. Embraer worked with L3Harris to develop a dedicated USAF tanker variant, with a new lightweight in-flight refuelling boom under the rear cargo ramp, and the two companies responded to a 2024 USAF RFI (request for information), before the relationship with L3Harris ended.
The USAF now seems to have backed away from the Bridge Tanker acquisition and instead seems to want to develop a dedicated low-observable NGAS (Next Generation Air-refuelling System) platform that would be capable of penetrating contested airspace.
Many believe that NGAS is both unaffordable and impractical, while the need to recapitalise the ageing KC-135 fleet (some of which is now more than 60 years old) remains urgent.
But Embraer has ‘scented’ opportunities beyond the ‘Bridge Tanker’ requirement, leveraging the KC-390’s formidable short/austere runway capabilities, and its Agile Combat Employment (ACE) potential to try and ‘tempt’ the US Special Operations community. Last year, a Brazilian air force KC-390 participated in Exercise Storm Flag and conducted operations from a semi-prepared airstrip near Alexandria, Louisiana, during the exercise.
Embraer stresses that the KC-390 Millennium is an off-the-shelf platform that is available today, with a hot production line, but also that it is a thoroughly proven multi-mission jet, with interoperability built-in by design. The aircraft is mature, having been in service for many years at Full Operational Capability. The aircraft has achieved an outstanding mission availability rate of 99% with notably low operating costs. Embraer says that the aircraft is ready to provide affordable mass for the US and global markets to deal with emerging threats.
Jake Williams, Vice President of Business Development North America for Embraer Defense & Security said that: “The KC-390 offers an unbeatable value proposition that combines rapid mission reconfiguration capability with the latest technology as well as increased speed in the air and faster turnarounds which translates to enhanced operational efficiency and low life-cycle costs. It is the best aircraft in its category and a perfect fit for SOF missions, as it is able to execute a wide range of missions, including Air-to-Air Refueling and Agile Combat Employment.”
Embraer’s KC-390 has the range and speed of a turbofan – allowing it to operate as a strategic asset, reducing the transit times – while being able to leverage the characteristics of many turboprop powered tactical transport rivals. The KC-390 has the cargo handling ability required to operate as a tactical airlifter, handling a diverse range of payloads and performing a wide variety of missions, from precision airdrop to humanitarian aid and medical evacuation. The aircraft can accomplish personnel airdrops up to 36,000 ft, and enjoys enhanced low speed handling characteristics. The type can be rapidly reconfigured and re-roled, between airdrop, firefighting, and air-to-air refuelling (fast jet and rotary wing) configurations, providing truly versatile multi-mission capabilities.
The aircraft is also equipped with a modern and comprehensive suite of sensors and communication equipment that support vital connectivity between aircraft, operational commands, and troops on the ground. Additionally, the KC-390’s robust integrated electronic warfare and self-protection system drive survivability.
