Sweden expected to make C-130 replacement decision by year end: Embraer Defense CEO

FARNBOROUGH 2024 — Sweden has informed industry that an acquisition decision for new aircraft to replace aging Lockheed Martin C-130 tactical airlifters will be made by the end of the year, according to Bosco da Costa, President and CEO of Embraer Defense.

The Brazilian manufacturer is offering the C-390 Millennium, which is riding a hot streak in Europe of late, based on orders from Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands and Portugal. The Czech Republic has also selected the plane, but not agreed a firm contract.

Last year, Sweden decided to reassess how to move forward with a replacement of six Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules after an attempt to procure used C-130J Super Hercules unexpectedly failed to meet requirements.

Da Costa said that Embraer has shared “a lot of information” about the C-390 with Sweden, ahead of the procurement reaching the selection stage, while citing a firm “strategic” defense relationship between Sweden and Brazil, chiefly driven by the Latin America country’s order of 36 Saab Gripen E/F multirole fighter jets and industrial partnership with the Swedish defense giant.

“We are there competing….we got some information [from the Swedish government] that they should be in a position to make a decision by the end of the year,” he revealed to reporters today.

His comments follow Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman, commander of the Swedish Air Force telling media on Sunday that “we have done the [C-130 replacement] evaluation and given our view on it” to the Swedish government.

“We have been trying for a while to update our C-130 fleet, we have made many tries over the last ten years…and to buy available aircraft…one option is the C-390 and the other is the C-130 again,” he added.

Wikman also stressed that the replacement decision is a political one, but warned that he wouldn’t want to “get ahead of it.”

Meanwhile, Embraer formally signed a C-390 procurement contract with the Netherlands Ministry of Defence here today, covering a combined total of nine aircraft that will be divided between the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Austrian Air Force.

As Breaking Defense previously reported, a first Dutch delivery is expected in 2027, a delay of a year because of difficulties around cooperation with Vienna and prolonged negotiations with Embraer.

In light of the new contract signing, the manufacturer said in a statement that the C-390 order will support the ambition of both European nations to increase “their ability to rapidly deploy or evacuate equipment and personnel worldwide, even under difficult operational conditions.”

Additionally, said Embraer, Vienna and The Hague will be able to take advantage of “synergies” including “training, logistics and future growth of the platform.”

Da Costa also said that Embraer and the Czech Republic are in the “final stages” of contract negotiations over the procurement of two aircraft.