Window for South Africa to join Brazilian aircraft programme is closing fast
By: Keith Campbell
12th November 2010
South Africa is rapidly running out of time to join the Embraer KC-390 military transport and air-to-air refueling aircraft programme. The KC-390 is a twin jet aircraft being designed and developed by Brazil’s highly successful and private-sector aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, under an ?initial $1,3-billion contract from the Brazilian Air Force. Embraer and Brazil are currently ?recruiting strategic partners for the programme.
“We are still in talks with Embraer. They would have liked to have a decision from us already,” reports Denel Saab Aerostructures (DSA) CEO Ismail Dockrat. “I would say that this window of opportunity will get very ?narrow by the start of December.”
A number of countries have already signaled their desire to join the programme. “The Brazilians are very keen for South African participation as well. We’ve submitted a proposal to Embraer. It’s subject to board approval and to government approval,” he states. “We are engaging government around the financial requirements and with Embraer about the technical requirements. We’re doing the best we can to bring it together.”
Embraer’s $1,3-billion contract covers the conception, design and development of the ?KC-390 and the tooling and assembly jigs needed to manufacture the aeroplane, as well as the building and certification of two prototypes. The current contract does not cover the series production of the aircraft.
The Brazilian Air Force has revealed a requirement for twenty-eight KC-390s, and five countries have so far started negotiations with Brazil to join the programme. They are (in alphabetical order) Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic and Portugal. Between them, these countries have stated requirements for thirty-two KC-390s, taking the total requirements to date to 60 (plus two prototypes). To meet Chile’s needs in particular, the aircraft will be designed to operate into and out of Antarctic airstrips composed of ice. In addition, Embraer is in early talks with the United Arab Emirates about the possibility of that country joining the programme.
According to the latest information, the ?KC-390 will have a wingspan of 35,06 m, a height of 10,26 m and a length of 33,81 m. In April last year, the design had had a smaller wingspan (33,94 m) and shorter length (33,43 m) ?but a greater height (11,43 m). Basically, the design has grown, and so has its capacity. At the very beginning of the project, the original KC-390 concept was intended to carry a ?maximum payload of 19 t. This was, with the redesign, increased to 23 t.
Now there are reports in Brazil – not confirmed by the company or the air force – that its maximum payload could reach 26 t or even 28 t. ?This would allow it, for example, to carry South Africa’s new infantry fighting vehicle, the 8 × 8 Badger. ?It would also mean that the KC-390 would no longer be a direct counterpart to the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules but would occupy its own niche, between the smaller C-130J and the larger Airbus Military A400M.
Meanwhile, the South African government’s recent Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement included an extra appropriation of R181,3-million for DSA. This is to cover cost overruns on the development of major components for the A400M programme, in which DSA is a partner (with responsibility for two significant work packages).
These are for the top shells (two for each aircraft) for the centre fuselage section and for the wing/fuselage fairings, manufactured mainly from composite materials but including aluminum parts. These work packages require the detailed design, development and engineering of the components (and of the tooling needed to make these components) by the South African company, as well as their subsequent manufacture.
“We met the technical requirements but the cost exceeded expectations,” explains Dockrat. “The excess costs for the development work on the wing/fuselage fairings and the fuselage top shells had to be covered by our main shareholder – the government.” DSA is 80%-owned by State-owned defence industrial group Denel, with the other 20% being in the hands of Swedish aerospace group Saab.
Edited by: Martin Zhuwakinyu