FARNBOROUGH, U.K. — Brazilian aerospace company Embraer and U.S. defense technology firm Anduril Industries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to evaluate the integration of the pallet-launched Barracuda-500M (B-500M) stand-off cruise missile with the Embraer C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft.
The agreement, announced during the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow, aims to expand the C-390 Millennium's operational role beyond tactical air mobility while maintaining its primary transport capabilities.
Under the collaboration, the companies will study the use of the Barracuda-500M through roll-on/roll-off mission systems and conventional aerial-delivery procedures. Instead of permanently modifying the aircraft into a dedicated strike platform, the palletized launch system would enable the C-390 to deploy dozens of cruise missiles directly from its cargo compartment. This concept is intended to provide massed stand-off effects during dispersed operations while allowing the aircraft to continue performing its transport missions.
The approach is designed to support agile combat employment by giving military operators the ability to rapidly configure the aircraft for different mission requirements without structural changes.
The C-390 Millennium is a twin-engine military transport aircraft capable of carrying 26 tons of payload and reaching speeds of 470 knots, according to Embraer. The company says the aircraft flies faster and farther than other medium-sized military transport aircraft.
The aircraft is designed to perform a wide range of missions, including troop and cargo transport, equipment and personnel airdrops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian assistance. It can also operate from temporary or unpaved runways. With quick-installation air-to-air refueling equipment, the C-390 can serve as both an aerial tanker and a receiver.
Anduril describes the Barracuda-500M as a software-defined, affordable cruise missile developed to rapidly rebuild and expand U.S. and allied munitions inventories. The company says the missile family has been designed for hyper-scale commercial production, requiring 50% fewer parts, 95% fewer tools, and half the manufacturing time compared with traditional cruise missiles.
Barracuda-500M Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Propulsion | Turbojet |
| Top Speed | 930 km/h (approximately 500 knots) |
| Operational Range | More than 930 km (500 nautical miles) |
| Payload Capacity | More than 45 kg (100 lbs) |
According to Anduril, the first successful flight test of the pallet-launched Barracuda-500M was completed in September 2024. Since then, the company says it has conducted dozens of additional flight tests to validate the missile's maturity, modularity, and payload performance. These tests included demonstrations of Networked Collaborative Autonomy, terminal target engagements, and payload performance validation.
The Embraer agreement represents another potential application for the Barracuda-500M. It follows Anduril's localized production agreement with Poland's PGZ and procurement framework agreements with the U.S. Department of War under the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM) program. To support anticipated production demand of up to 8,000 missiles annually, Anduril is shifting manufacturing to its 5-million-square-foot Arsenal-1 facility in Ohio.
For Embraer, the integration study introduces an additional mission concept for the C-390 Millennium as the aircraft continues to expand its international customer base.
The C-390 has been selected by the air forces of Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Slovakia, and Lithuania.
Bosco Da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, said the collaboration represents another step in expanding the aircraft's capabilities.
"This collaboration with Anduril marks another important step in the evolution of the C-390 Millennium. By exploring the integration of stand-off launch capabilities for palletized, kinetic, and non-kinetic effects, we are further expanding the aircraft's flexibility to meet the evolving needs of modern air forces. Together, we are developing innovative solutions that strengthen mission versatility, support agile combat employment, and increase operational possibilities for our customers worldwide."
Greg Kausner, Senior Vice President for Global Defense at Anduril, said the integration would provide allied militaries with an additional stand-off strike option using an existing airlift platform.
"Integrating the pallet-launched Barracuda-500M with Embraer's C-390 Millennium gives allied militaries a new way to generate massed, stand-off effects from a proven airlift platform. Anduril's Barracuda family of systems delivers rapidly producible, operationally relevant capabilities to meet the growing demand for affordable, scalable munitions."
The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a framework for studying the integration of the pallet-launched Barracuda-500M with the C-390 Millennium, combining Embraer's multi-mission transport aircraft with Anduril's stand-off cruise missile concept to evaluate an additional operational capability for future military operators.
Source : Embraer
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