Embraer, a global aerospace company headquartered in Brazil, officially began the structural assembly of the first C-390 Millennium for Austria during a ceremony held at the Gavião Peixoto production facility in the presence of a delegation of representatives from the Austrian government.
Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer Defence and Security, said: “We are thrilled to start production of this first aircraft for Austria and look forward to delivering it to the Austrian Air Force soon. The C-390 is setting new standards as a medium-airlift multi-mission aircraft that combines the latest technology, reliability, and low operational costs, with unmatched performance.”
The C-390 has a maximum payload of 26 tonnes, a top speed of 470 knots, a large cargo hold equipped with a rear ramp, and robust landing gear that enables it to carry out the most demanding operations, including using ‘unpaved runways’, and a wide range of military and civilian missions.
Air-to-air refuellingThese include cargo transport, personnel and vehicles, peacekeeping operations, special operations, humanitarian support, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, air-to-air refuelling, and disaster management. The aircraft configured with air-to-air refuelling equipment has the designation KC-390 and can operate both as a tanker and as a receiver.
This aircraft type entered service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019, the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, and the Hungarian Air Force in 2024. The current fleet of aircraft in operation has accumulated more than 16,300 flight hours, with a mission capability rate of 93% and mission completion rates above 99%. In addition to Brazil, Portugal, and Hungary, the Netherlands announced their choice for the Millennium in 2022. In 2023, Austria, the Czech Republic, and the Republic of Korea also selected the C-390. In 2024, Sweden, Slovakia and an ‘undisclosed customer’ also opted for the C-390.
In another development, Embraer announced its plans to invest about $ 3.5 billion by 2030 to achieve the company’s growth plan for the next five years. This includes increased aircraft production, business expansion in international markets, and the development of sustainable technologies with the goal of a low-carbon economy in the aerospace industry. One highlight is the eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle) manufactured by EVE and backed by Embraer.