RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazilian Defense Minister Jose Mucio said on Tuesday he will travel to Sweden next month to negotiate a potential sale of Embraer’s C-390 Millennium military cargo aircraft to the country.
Mucio told reporters in Rio de Janeiro that Brazil was eyeing the sale of three or four C-390 aircraft to Sweden, and that the Nordic nation wants to sell more Saab Gripen fighter jets to Brazil.
The move comes after Austria this month selected Brazilian planemaker Embraer’s C-390 to replace its fleet of Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130s.
Brazil, Portugal and Hungary have previously ordered C-390s, also known as the KC-390. The Netherlands has also announced it intends to buy the freighter.
In April, Embraer and Sweden’s Saab signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen their collaboration, including working to position the C-390 as “the preferred solution to meet the Swedish Air Force tactical air transport requirements.”
The companies have a joint production line for Gripen fighter jets in Brazil, where 15 of the South American country’s current 36-aircraft order will be produced.
Expanding its presence abroad with more sales of the C-390 is a key goal of Embraer’s defense unit.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier; Editing by Kylie Madry and Rami Ayyub)