Embraer takes off after Azorra deal lifts E2 program past 500 orders 

SAO PAULO, June 5 (Reuters) - Brazilian planemaker Embraer said on Friday it has secured an order for 15 E195-E2 aircraft from lessor Azorra, sending its shares up about 5%.

The deal marks the third increase to Azorra's original 2021 order and includes purchase rights for 15 more, bringing the company's total firm orders to 54 jets, up from 39.

The transaction will be reflected in Embraer's second-quarter results and backlog, it said, without disclosing the deal's value. The order also pushes total bookings for the E2 program beyond 500 aircraft.

Analysts at JPMorgan said the Azorra order supports Embraer’s view that the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has so far not affected backlog growth, airline demand for its aircraft or delivery execution.

"We read the higher demand from lessors as a validation of E2's success among airlines," they wrote in a note to clients. 

More than 200 E2 jets have been delivered to 24 airlines, Embraer said, as carriers chose the aircraft to adjust capacity and improve fuel efficiency.  

Azorra's order ex purchase options could add around $500 million to Embraer's backlog, representing an increase of around 2% of consolidated first-quarter backlog, analysts at Santander estimated.

Sao Paulo-traded shares of Embraer rose some 5% following the news, while benchmark stock index Bovespa fell 0.2%.

(Reporting by Isabel Teles; Editing by Susan Fenton and Chizu Nomiyama )