L3Harris Technologies and Embraer S.A. announced a partnership to develop an " Agile Tanker," a tactical aerial refueling option to address the U.S. Air Force's operational imperatives and joint force refueling requirements especially for contested logistics environments. The companies signed an agreement to expand the capabilities of Embraer's KC-390 Millennium tactical tanker aircraft. Enhancements include the addition of advanced boom operations and mission systems to support agile basing and sustainment for operations in contested areas, and resilient communications supporting JADC2 requirements.

Aircraft enhancements will complement the tanker's existing capabilities, which already include the ability to refuel aircraft with a variable speed drogue, receive fuel, and to take off and land from short and improvised runways, allowing for greater mission area coverage. The Air Force operational imperatives are a roadmap for successfully bringing about the new technologies, thinking, and cultures the Air and Space Forces must have to deter and, if necessary, defeat modern day adversaries. The speedy, versatile, customizable KC-390 Millennium can support a range of missions and possesses a high reliability rate.

By combining L3Harris' experience as an aircraft missionization prime with Embraer's jet-powered KC-390 Millennium platform, both companies are ready to provide the next generation of tanker solutions for the Department of Defense and the US Air Force. To support the Buy American Act requirements, the parties are studying the Agile Tanker program production with final assembly in the U.S., followed by aircraft modernization and missionization at the L3Harris'Waco, Texas, aircraft modification center.