EMBRAER unveiled photos of the company’s first C-390 Millennium transport aircraft ordered by Uzbekistan, with the country as the first official platform customer in Central Asia. Complete with markings of the Uzbekistan Air and Air Defence Forces, the aircraft is the first in an undisclosed number of aircraft purchased by the Central Asian nation and will likely be ready for tests soon. The Brazilian firm announced at the Singapore Airshow 2026 that the Republic of Uzbekistan was the previous undisclosed customer for the C-390 which has been skyrocketing in momentum across the globe.
A company statement from the announcement early this year read, “The Uzbek Air Force will primarily use the C-390 in transport and humanitarian missions, significantly improving its capabilities. The Republic of Uzbekistan becomes the first Central Asia nation to operate the aircraft that is revolutionising the military transport market segment. We officially welcome the Republic of Uzbekistan to the group of C-390 operators as the Uzbekistan Air Force modernises its transport capabilities. “We are honoured by the choice of this leading Central Asia Air Force and will work in close coordination with them to ensure flawless operation of this revolutionary aircraft”.
Already selected by air forces in Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, the Republic of Uzbekistan, Slovakia, Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in May, the C-390 offers unmatched capability, reliability, versatility and performance to serve tactical and strategic needs of air forces worldwide. The C-390 is the most modern military transport aircraft in its class and can carry more payload (26 tons) compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft, flying faster (470 knots) and farther. It can perform a wide range of missions including cargo and troop transport, equipment and personnel airdrop, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian operations. It can also operate from temporary or unpaved runways. The aircraft configured with quick-installation air-to-air refuelling equipment under the designation KC-390 can operate both as a tanker and as a receiver. The Millennium is fully interoperable within the NATO environment and especially suitable for Agile Combat Employment (ACE) operations.
In April, the KC-390 finished its world tour, with 100% mission accomplishment in its international demonstration campaign. The aircraft flew more than 47,000 nautical miles, completing 54 flights, and operating across 11 countries over a period of more than 70 days. The aircraft returned to Brazil following its appearance at FIDAE (Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio) in Chile, landing at Embraer’s Defense headquarters in Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil.
Throughout the Demo Tour, the KC-390 accumulated approximately 140 flight hours and operated under extreme conditions, with temperatures ranging from the severe cold of the Arctic to the hot and humid climate of Asia. The campaign put the next-generation military transport aircraft to the test across a wide range of operational scenarios, consistently demonstrating high performance and outstanding availability across all mission profiles.
The demonstrations featured a broad spectrum of cargo operations, including the transport of containers, medical modules, light and heavy vehicles, palletised loads, among others. These activities highlighted the KC-390’s versatility and robustness in both tactical and logistical missions, as well as its ability to adapt to diverse operational demands.
Each of the 54 flights conducted during the tour reinforced the maturity of the program and the aircraft’s readiness for demanding global operations, consolidating key attributes such as interoperability, operational flexibility, efficiency, reduced operating costs, and the capability to meet the most stringent requirements of modern air forces.
The international campaign began at the Singapore Airshow in late January and covered several strategic regions around the world, including Poland, Sweden, the United States, among others, culminating in the aircraft’s participation at FIDAE in Chile. Once again, the Demo Tour reaffirmed the positioning of the KC-390 Millennium as the most effective aircraft in its category, designed and built in the 21st century to perform the most complex missions in the most challenging environments and operational scenarios.–shp/adj/dl (Pix:EMBRAER)
