Embraer, Northrop Team on Autonomous Air Force Tanker System

Companies aim to offer a multi-mission aircraft for U.S. and allied forces.

Jack Daleo

Friday, February 20, 2026 at 01:45 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Embraer and Northrop Grumman aim to ‘evolve’ the KC-390 into a multi-mission tanker by equipping it with a flying boom refueling system. [Credit: Embraer]

Key Takeaways:

Embraer and Northrop Grumman are jointly investing to evolve Embraer's KC-390 Millennium into a multi-mission tanker for the U.S. Air Force and allies.
The key upgrade involves adding an autonomous flying boom refueling system to the KC-390, augmenting its existing probe-and-drogue capabilities.
This enhancement aims to accommodate both boom- and probe-compatible aircraft, increasing versatility, efficiency, and positioning the KC-390 as a candidate for the Next Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS).

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Embraer and Northrop Grumman are angling to be the go-to aerial refueling providers for the U.S. Air Force and its allies.

The companies on Thursday said they made a joint investment to “evolve” Embraer’s twin-engine KC-390 Millennium into a multi-mission tanker, augmenting its probe-and-drogue refueling system with an autonomous flying boom. Most military aircraft are compatible with only one of the two methods, which require different hardware integrations.