SAO PAULO, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Embraer ( ERJ ) said on

Tuesday that Luxembourg-based Luxair has placed a firm order for

two more E195-E2 jets, bumping up its 2023 order of four

aircraft and helping to drive shares of the Brazilian planemaker

higher.

The first Luxair E2 is expected to be delivered in 2026, the

Brazilian company said in a statement, adding that the new firm

order provides the carrier with additional delivery slots for

2027.

Luxembourg's flag carrier still holds delivery positions for

three other jets, Embraer ( ERJ ) said in a statement, which could be

converted into orders for the smaller E190-E2 airplane if

needed.

Embraer's ( ERJ ) shares were up around 2.5% in early Sao Paulo

trading, among the top gainers on Brazil's Bovespa stock index

, extending their year-to-date jump to 154% as demand for

the firm's aircraft remains strong.

The companies did not provide a price tag for the deal, but

analysts at JPMorgan said that it should add around $170 million

to Embraer's ( ERJ ) backlog considering list prices for the E195-E2,

likely increasing the firm's commercial aviation backlog by 2%.

"We view today's announcement as slightly positive for

Embraer ( ERJ ) given the continued backlog growth, which is at a record

high of $24 billion, with all segments having a book-to-bill

above 1:1," JPMorgan analysts said in a note to clients.

Separately, the world's third-largest planemaker after

Airbus and Boeing ( BA ) announced on Tuesday it was

opening an office focused on defense in Portugal, as it aims to

deepen ties with European and NATO clients.

Reuters reported last month that the office was part of

Embraer's ( ERJ ) plans as sales of its C-390 Millennium military cargo

aircraft gained pace in the region.

The company earlier this week said that Portugal, which

already operates the C-390, had also ordered 12 A-29N Super

Tucano light attack aircraft. The Portuguese government pegged

the deal at 200 million euros.

"It underscores the positive momentum of Embraer's ( ERJ ) defense

business," BTG Pactual analysts said.

"We expect favorable commercial momentum across all major

divisions and a depreciated Brazilian real to keep sustaining

positive momentum in Embraer ( ERJ ) shares."

(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Additional reporting by Isabel

Teles; Editing by Susan Fenton and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)