Embraer, Anduril partner to integrate Barracuda-500M cruise missile onto C-390 airlifter

Embraer has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Anduril to jointly pursue the integration of Anduril's Barracuda-500M (B-500M) stand-off cruise missile onto the C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft.

The agreement was signed on 20 July 2026 at the Farnborough Airshow.

Strategic Objectives

The collaboration aims to enhance the operational flexibility of the C-390 Millennium by enabling it to launch palletised Barracuda-500M munitions, providing a rapidly deployable solution for modern military needs, Embraer stated.

The two companies plan to explore new operational concepts that leverage massed, stand-off effects using the C-390's airlift platform.

About the Barracuda-500M

Anduril describes the Barracuda-500M as a mass-producible cruise missile designed for cost-effective, large-scale employment. According to the company, the pallet-launched variant enables airlift aircraft to deploy dozens of munitions simultaneously, which could dramatically increase strike capacity and introduce new options for force employment.

About the C-390 Millennium

The C-390 Millennium is a modern medium military transport aircraft now in service with multiple air forces, including those of:

• Brazil
• Portugal
• Hungary
• South Korea
• Other countries

Designed for multiple missions, the C-390 can carry up to 26 tons of payload, with a top cruise of 470 knots and extended range. The aircraft supports:

• Troop and cargo transport
• Equipment and personnel airdrops
• Medical evacuation
• Search and rescue operations
• Firefighting and humanitarian missions
• Rapid configuration for aerial refuelling roles

Executive Statements

Bosco Da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defence and Security, said:

"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 palletised, kinetic, and non-kinetic effects, we are further expanding the aircraft's flexibility to meet the evolving needs of modern air forces."

Greg Kausner, Senior Vice President of Anduril Global Defence, said:

"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."

Development and Testing Milestones

Anduril conducted the first successful flight test of the pallet-launched Barracuda-500M in September 2024 and reports that dozens of further tests have validated the system's capabilities. These have included demonstrations of:

• Networked collaborative autonomy
• Payload performance
• Terminal engagements

Procurement and Production Agreements

The company has also established:

• Procurement framework agreements with the US Department of War
• A localised production agreement with PGZ in Poland

These agreements further extend potential applications for the Barracuda-500M system.