The Portuguese Government and Embraer formalized, this Wednesday, December 17th, a strategic agreement that marks the Brazilian giant’s return to aircraft assembly in Portugal. The Minister of National Defense, Nuno Melo, and the president of Embraer SA, Bosco da Costa Júnior, signed, at the OGMA facilities, a letter of interest for the installation of a new industrial unit in Beja, intended for the manufacture of the A-29N Super Tucano model.
The announcement coincided with the delivery of the first five aircraft (out of a total of 12 ordered) to the Portuguese Air Force. Portugal thus becomes the first European country to operate this specific version of the aircraft, configured according to NATO technical standards.
The project represents a global investment of 200 million euros in the modernization of the Air Force, highlights the Ministry of Defense in a statement. One of the central points of the agreement is the strong national component: 75 million euros will be channeled directly to Portuguese companies, responsible for the “upgrade” and reconfiguration of the planes, says the MDN.
In addition to close air support, these aircraft bring an innovative capability to the national inventory: anti-drone warfare. According to Nuno Melo, this technical choice — validated by the Air Force — responds to new scenarios of modern conflict and reinforces the defense industrial base in the country, which in 2025 alone saw the creation of 60 new companies in the sector.
The new factory in Beja will not only serve Portugal. The assembly line is designed to meet eventual demand from other European nations through government-to-government negotiations by the Brazilian company.
If this comes to fruition, this will allow the creation of qualified jobs within the country, highlights the Executive
Although this announcement marks a reinforcement of Embraer’s presence, the strategy in Beja differs from the previous model followed in Portugal. In May 2022, Embraer sold its two main industrial units in the Évora Aeronautical Industry Park — Embraer Metálicas and Embraer Compósitos — to the Spanish multinational Aernnova, in a deal worth approximately 165 million euros.
Currently, the Évora factories remain fully operational under the management of Aernnova, producing critical structural components for Embraer aircraft. The project in Beja, now announced, represents a distinct initiative, focused on the final assembly and production of the “N” (NATO) military variant of the Super Tucano, consolidating Alentejo as the country’s main aeronautical hub.