Brazil’s Embraer announced during the Farnborough International Airshow on 21 July 2026 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with US defence technology company Anduril to jointly pursue the integration of Anduril’s pallet-launched Barracuda-500M (B-500M) stand-off cruise missile into the C-390 Millennium tanker-transport aircraft.
Anduril positions the Barracuda-500M as an affordable, mass-producible cruise missile designed to rapidly rebuild and enhance US and allied munitions inventories. The company further emphasises that the palletised variant enables airlift aircraft to launch dozens of munitions simultaneously, unlocking new concepts of operation centred around cost-effective, large-scale employment.
The collaboration aims to expand the C-390’s operational capabilities by providing a flexible, rapidly deployable solution for modern military operations.
“The initiative represents a significant step in the aircraft’s evolution as a multi-mission platform and force multiplier, supporting agile combat employment and addressing the operational requirements of US and allied forces through enhanced interoperability and mission effectiveness,” Embraer stated in a press release.
The B-500M
Anduril’s B-500M is one of a family of air-breathing autonomous air vehicles purposely designed for hyper-scale production and mass employment. Travelling at speeds from 180-500 knots (333 to 926 km/h), the B-500M has a range greater than 200 nautical miles (370 km).
Anduril completed the first successful flight test of a pallet-launched B-500M in September 2024 and has since conducted dozens of successful flight tests that have further validated the maturity, performance and modularity of the Barracuda-500 system, including networked collaborative autonomy flights, terminal engagements, and payload performance validation testing.
The MoU with Embraer demonstrates continued applications for the B-500M, building on recent procurement framework agreements with the US Department of Defense, as well as a localised production deal with PGZ in Poland.
The C-390
The C-390 Millennium, meanwhile, can carry more payload (26 tonnes concentrated) compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft and flies faster (870 km/h). The C-390 can achieve a range of 2,000 km with a 26-tonne payload or 5,000 km with a 14-tonne payload. However, when configured with air-to-air refuelling equipment, when it is designated the KC-390, a Millennium can both dispense fuel and receive it from another KC-390, extending its range.
Besides the Brazilian Air Force, the C-390 has also now been selected by the air forces of Portugal, Hungary, South Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Slovakia and Lithuania.
