Brazil's top planemaker Embraer said it delivered the first of several EMB 145 airborne radar aircraft to India at a ceremony held at its headquarters north-east of Sao Paulo. The company said in a statement that the delivery followed the successful completion of ground and flight tests of the Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft which met operational targets set by both Embraer and India.
The delivery is part of a contract signed in 2008 that includes a comprehensive package for training, technical support, spare parts, and ground support equipment, Embraer said. But, citing a confidentiality clause, it would not say how many aircraft remained to be delivered nor give details of the contract's total value.
The EMB 145 aircraft is already in use by the Brazilian, Mexican and Greek air forces. The Indian Air Force already operates four Embraer Legacy 600 jets to transport government officials and foreign dignitaries while a fifth one is used by India's Border Security Force. Embraer is the world's third largest commercial aircraft manufacturer, behind American Boeing and Europe's Airbus. In 2010, it sold 101 commercial aircraft and 145 executive jets.