Embraer, a global leader in the aerospace industry, has officially begun the structural assembly of the first C-390 Millennium for Austria. This major step took place during an official ceremony held at the Gavião Peixoto production facility in the presence of a delegation of representatives from the Austrian government.
“We’re thrilled to start production of first aircraft for Austria and we look forward to delivering the first aircraft to the Austrian Air Force soon. The C-390 is setting new standards as a medium airlift, truly multi-mission aircraft. It offers an unbeatable combination of the latest technology, reliability, and low operational costs, with unmatched performance”, said Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security.
With a maximum payload of 26 tons, a top speed of 470 knots, and state-of-the-art systems, the C-390 is the best aircraft in its class. Its powerful engines, large cargo hold equipped with a rear ramp and robust landing gear enable it to carry out the most demanding missions, including unpaved runways. A true strategic asset for its end users, the C-390 Millennium can perform a wide range of military and civilian missions such as cargo transport, personnel and vehicles, peacekeeping operations, special operations, humanitarian support, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, air-to-air refueling, and disaster management.
The aircraft configured with air-to-air refueling equipment, with the designation KC-390, can operate both as a tanker and as a receiver, in this case also by receiving fuel from another KC-390 using pods installed under the wings.
Since entering service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019, the Portuguese Air Force in 2023 and, most recently the Hungarian Air Force in 2024, the C-390 has proven its capability, reliability and performance. 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%, demonstrating exceptional productivity in the category.
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, confirming the success of this game-changer platform. In 2024, Sweden, Slovakia and an Undisclosed Customer also opted for the C-390.
