A delegation from the Polish Armed Forces recently evaluated the Embraer light combat aircraft A-29 Super Tucano and medium transport aircraft Embraer C/KC-390 Millenniumcurrently considered to meet the country’s future operational needs.
The visit to Embraer’s Defense and Security facilities in Brazil took place in mid-January, according to the specialized publication Defense24.
The delegation included representatives of the Polish Air Force and was led by the deputy commanding general, Major General Ireneusz Nowak. During the agenda, the military had access to the demonstration capabilities of the two platforms, carried out familiarization flights with the C/KC-390 Millennium and the A-29 Super Tucano and inspected the Brazilian manufacturer’s production lines.
In addition to the practical activities, the aircraft’s technical specifications, configuration options, acquisition cost estimates and projected operating costs were presented, as well as preliminary economic proposals for a possible contract.
The Polish delegation also met with representatives of the Portuguese Air Force, one of the main operators of the KC-390 Millennium. Portugal has already ordered six units to expand its fleet and acts as a reseller for the platform.
In the tactical transport segment, Warsaw compares the KC-390 Millennium with the North American Lockheed Martin C-130J-30. The Brazilian aircraft uses engines derived from the Airbus A320 family, and the estimated list price is approximately US$85 million.
The A-29 Super Tucano, traditionally associated with counterinsurgency missions, did not figure among Polish priorities. For the same reason, the combat version of the PZL PZL-130 Orlik national training aircraft was not developed.
However, Embraer has been promoting the Super Tucano as an optimized platform for countering heavy One-Way Attack (OWA) class kamikaze UAVs, including threats of the type Shahed — an approach aligned with Poland’s effort to strengthen its capabilities to combat unmanned systems.
Source and images: Embraer | Defence24. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
