Embraer Will Study A Maritime Patrol Variant Of The E190-E2

At the end of September, Brazillian aerospace manufacturer Embraer had delivered 90 of its new generation E190/195 E2 jets, with a firm order backlog of 190 aircraft. While those have mostly been for commercial airline operators it seems the E2 may also find success in the maritime surveillance market.

A new market for the E2

Yesterday, Aviation Week reported that Embraer is evaluating a maritime patrol variant of the E190-E2 and has entered into talks with potential development partners. Embraer Defense and Security CEO Joao Bosco Costa Junior said that Embraer is looking for international partners to join the journey and that the Dubai airshow “is a perfect moment to have this kind of conversation with them.”

Photo: Embraer

According to Aviation Week (AW), one possibility is to modify an E190-E2 with a downward-canted, nose-mounted radome, fuselage belly-mounted anti-ship missiles, and an aft fuselage internal bay to carry sonobuoys. Speaking about the aircraft’s configuration, the CEO added:

“We are far from a frozen configuration. We are now in a phase to evaluate all the possibilities and all the solutions available in the market to put the best [effort] we can in this potential product to have very quickly a potential launch customer.”

Boeing has enjoyed considerable success with its maritime surveillance aircraft, the P-8A, built on the 737 platform which pops up regularly on the monthly Boeing Orders and Deliveries report. Embraer is one of Brazil’s largest employers and exporters and has close ties to the nation’s air force, which operates nine P-3C Orions. AW said these were purchased as used aircraft from the United States Navy in 2006 and could potentially be replaced by a new Embraer maritime patrol E2 jet.

Photo: Embraer

The US Navy introduced the Boeing P-8A more than a decade ago, and a new Embraer E190-E2 maritime patrol aircraft would be one of the first large, turbofan-powered commercial aircraft to enter that segment since then. Embraer does have some credentials in this specialized market segment, with the Pakistan military selecting the Lineage 1000 for its maritime patrol missions.

E195-E2 certified for London City Airport

On Friday, Embraer announced that the E195-E2 had received certification for Steep Approach into London City Airport (LCY) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The steep approach into London City Airport and its short runway present a unique set of challenges for pilots and aircraft, and the E195-E2 has now joined its smaller sibling, the E190-E2 (certified in 2021), in being certified for operations at LCY.

Photo: Embraer

London City Airport Chief Operating Officer Alison Fitzgerald said the certification of the E195-E2 signifies an exciting new era for the airport, adding:

“With its capacity to handle more passengers while being significantly quieter and more fuel efficient is testament to our commitment to work closely with aircraft manufacturers to certify cleaner, quieter, new generation aircraft and we eagerly anticipate our airlines starting commercial operations of the E195-E2 at London City Airport.”

The E195-E2 first landed at London City in July 2022, when it also demonstrated its impressive noise reduction properties, easily surpassing the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) stringent noise regulations. Embarers are the dominant aircraft seen at London City where they account for 85% of all aircraft movements. They also allow airlines to operate without blocking seats to reduce aircraft weight and meet the unique challenges of a steep approach, shorter runway and strict noise limits.

Have you flown into London City Airport? Let us know about it in the comments.

Sources: Aviation Week, Embraer