The ‘deal of the Century’ – at least for Brazil and Sweden!
November 12, 2024
Swedish defence minister Pål Jonson and his Brazilian counterpart José Múcio during the VIP Day of the Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise (Cruzex), signed a letter of intent outlining expanded co-operation in aerospace during the VIP Day of the Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise (Cruzex) on 9 November 2024.
The letter of intent launches the Swedish Armed Forces procurement process that will lead to the acquisition of the C-390, and it is understood that Swedish authorities will begin contract negotiations in the coming days. Lieutenant General Carl-Johan Edström, the Chief of the Swedish Defence Staff, said that: “This means we can take a long-awaited step and begin the process of replacing our current transport aircraft with the C-390 aircraft system. Now we can begin the work to ensure the operational need for a long-term tactical transport aviation capability.”
Major General Jonas Wikman, Sweden’s Air Force Commander said that: “The armed forces’ current military transport aircraft, the TP 84 Hercules, is old and has accessibility problems. The aircraft has served the Armed Forces for over 50 years and the process to replace the system has been ongoing for a long time. The signed letter of intent is therefore a welcome message as it has been important to get a replacement in place. It is very satisfying that we are now approaching a long-term solution and the C-390 is a highly qualified platform with great development potential. Now we are fully focused on getting this absolutely central capability in place as soon as possible.”
Bosco da Costa Jr., president and CEO of Embraer Defence & Security has welcomed the development, observing that “Europe has opened the doors to the C-390,” and has said that Swedish officials have been in touch with their counterparts in Portugal and the Netherlands to discuss the planned introduction of the platform, and said that work was underway between Embraer and Saab to “add value to Northern Europe” in terms of training and MRO services.
Embraer has already secured formal orders for the C-390 this year, from Austria, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, and the type seems to be gathering momentum internationally.
The Swedish Air Force operates six surviving C-130H Hercules (of eight delivered), locally designated as the Tp84 primarily as long range transport aircraft, with the second (a former C-130E, like the first and fourth aircraft) converted as a Tp84T multi-role tanker-transport to support AAR training missions flown by the Swedish Air Force Gripens.
In June 2022, it looked as though the Swedish Air Force would acquire six second-hand C-130Js from Italy to replace its Tp84s, with the first pair due for delivery in 2023. This plan was abandoned, although Lockheed Martin then teamed with Swedish company MilDef to offer the C-130J-30 to Sweden.
Replacement of the Tp84 assumed a new urgency after Sweden’s most recent defence bill, which called for a new tanker transport to enter service in the 2025-30 time frame. The turbofan-engined C-390 reportedly emerged as the Swedish Air Force’s preferred solution only after an evaluation of alternative aircraft types, including the Lockheed Martin C-130J. There has been speculation that Sweden will replace its six Tp84s on a one-for-one basis, perhaps with more than one aircraft in tanker configuration given the increased demands that have followed Sweden’s accession to NATO.
Though the C-390 has 20% less range than the C-130J, it is claimed to be 45% faster, carrying 25% greater payload, while being 10% cheaper.
As well as selecting the C-390, Jonson also announced that Brazil was planning to increase its order for 36 Gripen E/F aircraft by 25%, adding a further nine aircraft. This is some way short of the 12-15 additional aircraft that Saab Chairman and CEO Micael Johansson said were under negotiation in late 2023, let alone the once-planned second batch of 36 further Gripen E/Fs.
It is unclear as to whether this slams the door shut on French plans to include 24 Dassault Rafales that French President Emmanuel Macron was expected to discuss with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the G20 Summit between 18-19 November. The package is also expected to include 50 Airbus H145 helicopters, 36 Caesar howitzers and a fifth Scorpène submarine in addition to the four already ordered.
Angered by requests from the US Department of Justice for information about Brazil’s 2014 purchase of the Gripen, it would seem unlikely that Lula will entertain US efforts to sell the second hand F-16s or new-build Block 70/72 F-16 into Brazil. Brazilian prosecutors formally accused Lula of using his influence to help Saab win the fighter tender in 2016 but the case was dismissed by Brazil’s Supreme Court in 2022.
