IAE to provide V2500 powerplants for KC-390 Brazilian Military Aircraft
http://iaenews.com/?p=390
Glastonbury, Ct. (July 25, 2011) — Embraer Defense and Security, in concurrence with the Brazilian Air Force, today announced that International Aero Engines AG has been chosen to provide the powerplant for the country’s new KC-390 multi-role tanker/transport aircraft.
The engine will be the V2500-E5.
The KC-390 development program was launched in April 2009 and the Brazilian Air Force formalized its intent to purchase 28 aircraft in July of last year. Five additional countries have agreed to join as industrial partners, with resulting aggregate purchase intentions now totaling 60 airplanes. It will also be marketed globally, representing opportunities for further growth.
“We are very pleased to be providing V2500 powerplants for this new multi-role military aircraft being developed and produced by Embraer,” said Ian Aitken, President and CEO of IAE. “This military application for our V2500 engine substantially opens a market that we have not done business in before, providing our business with opportunities for substantial further growth.”
“The selection of IAE’s V2500-E5 brings about the merger of a well known and proven engine with a winning clean-sheet design military program. It is very important for us to be closing the selection of main suppliers and partners in order to start working with them in this new phase,” said Luiz Carlos Aguiar, President and CEO, Embraer Defense and Security.
Engineering work on the program has already commenced at IAE’s shareholder companies — Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, MTU and JAEC. First deliveries of powerplants for prototype aircraft are scheduled to begin in 2013, with flight tests to start the following year. Production powerplants are anticipated for 2015, with entry into service projected for later that year. Deliveries are anticipated to last at least through 2030.
“This was a long and highly competitive process, but it has resulted in an outstanding opportunity for IAE as we move forward with a new customer,” said Aitken. “This was a truly collaborative effort by the four companies that form our venture.”
He noted the advantages of concurrently building the V2500-E5 with commercial engine variants. “Efficiencies certainly result from the commonality of critical upgrades, product enhancements and process improvements,” he noted. “This should result in substantial advantages to further drive our competitive edge.”
For more than a quarter of a century, IAE has provided V2500 engines for the A320 series of commercial aircraft to airlines around the globe, and its partner companies have extended their collaborative agreement to 2045.
With more than 190 customers in over 70 countries, the IAE V2500 provides customers with the most reliable, cost-effective engine on the A320 family. It is available in seven different thrust settings, from 22,000 to 33,000lb, to power the Airbus A319, A320 and A321 family of aircraft as well as the Airbus Corporate Jetliner.