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

Verified

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 aircraft.
The primary upgrade involves augmenting the KC-390's existing probe-and-drogue refueling system with an autonomous flying boom, allowing compatibility with both major aerial refueling methods.
This development aims to position the KC-390 as a versatile candidate for the U.S. Air Force's Next Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS) and support allied operational autonomy and efficiency.

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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.