Embraer is aiming to restore its commercial jet deliveries to the roughly 100-per-year rate it achieved before the COVID-19 pandemic, and its commercial leadership now expects to surpass that threshold if current demand holds, according to comments from the head of its commercial aviation unit.
The company delivered 78 commercial aircraft in the most recent year, meeting its own forecast range of 77 to 85 units. Management is targeting an almost 30% rise in both deliveries and underlying production over the next 24 months compared with that level, with the immediate goal of reaching approximately 100 annual deliveries and the potential to move beyond it if sales continue at current levels.
"The first target is to get back to 100 deliveries, but with the demand we currently have and the sales results...we’re going to probably have to go beyond that," the commercial aviation chief said in a telephone interview ahead of an industry conference in Dublin. He framed the plan as a staged ramp-up to restore and then expand production following a recent surge in orders for Embraer regional jets.
Last year the manufacturer saw a notable uplift in orders for its E2 family. Sales of the E2 series rose significantly - quadrupling on a year-over-year basis - and the model netted 131 orders. That tally positioned the E2 ahead of a competing small narrowbody by a factor of three to one in terms of net orders during the period, with purchases including commitments from major carriers such as All Nippon Airways and LATAM.
Despite geopolitical uncertainty in some markets, the company says airline demand remains healthy as operators resume fleet replacements that had been delayed during the pandemic. While geopolitical developments are monitored closely, the commercial head said the company is not seeing a decline in demand for its regional aircraft.
Supply chain and engine issues
Embraer reported improvements in supply-chain performance but stressed that it expects a return to greater stability only in 2026. Various components - including engines and aerostructures - have been subject to disruptive cycles. The firm highlighted that U.S. engine maker Pratt & Whitney has, in Embraer's view, largely resolved shortages and maintenance bottlenecks affecting the engines used on its jets.
That assessment was contrasted in the interview with an ongoing and worsening dispute between another major airframer and Pratt & Whitney over shortages of a different engine family that powers some models in that manufacturer’s single-aisle portfolio. On the E2, the variant in service is described as less prone to durability problems because the aircraft is smaller, lighter and entered service later, avoiding some of the early operational issues seen with earlier engines.
According to the company executive, the number of E2-family aircraft grounded due to maintenance delays has fallen from a peak in the range of 25 to 40 down to single digits. He said he expects that figure to reach zero by the end of this year.
India assembly reports and product development stance
The executive declined to confirm media reports that the manufacturer is about to announce a major agreement to assemble aircraft in India. A separate industry source has reportedly indicated that a prominent Indian aerospace group plans to disclose a tie-up with the Brazilian planemaker. The potential move would coincide with an upcoming visit by Brazil's president to India next month.
On the question of a next-generation platform to replace or follow the current family of jets, the company said it is not rushing into formal development. Management is concentrating for now on the enabling technologies and evaluating options. The executive emphasized that launching a new airframe platform is a major decision for a manufacturer and will be approached cautiously.
Overall, the firm is pushing to step up production to meet elevated demand for regional jets while monitoring geopolitical and supply-chain uncertainties, keeping a deliberate posture on significant long-term product development choices.