Another Embraer C-390 For Portugal

EMBRAER landed an additional sale of the C-390 airlifter to Portugal who previously ordered five units, growing the Portuguese Air Force’s C-390 fleet to six aircraft. The contract also included ten new purchase options for potential acquisitions by future partner nations. The agreement is part of the process of modernising the capabilities of the Portuguese Air Force, with the aim of supporting the operations of the Armed Forces and increasing readiness in missions of public interest.

Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Air Force General Joao Cartaxo Alves said, “The acquisition of the sixth C-390 significantly enhances the strategic and operational capabilities of the Portuguese Air Force by substantially increasing the availability of tactical and logistical transport. This fleet expansion equips Portugal with a robust and flexible platform, enabling rapid and effective response to a broad spectrum of missions, encompassing both military operations and civilian emergency support, at national and international levels.”

Furthermore, the contract addendum includes ten purchase options, will strengthen Air Base No. 11 as a specialised training centre, consolidating it as a centre of excellence for the training of C-390 pilots and operators. Notably, as the first NATO member to operate this aircraft, Portugal benefits from the advanced expertise of its Air Force personnel, which is essential for knowledge sharing and cooperation with other allied operators,” the chief added.

President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security Bosco da Costa Junior said, “The signing of this contract, the first of its kind by an operator, demonstrates the recognition of the quality, operational efficiency and multi-mission capability of our aircraft. Portugal becomes a benchmark for European nations and NATO members looking for a state-of-the-art aircraft to equip and modernise their fleets.”

Since entering operation with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019, with the Portuguese Air Force in 2023 and with the Hungarian Air Force in 2024, the C-390 Millennium has proven its capability, reliability and performance. The current fleet in operation demonstrates exceptional productivity in its category. To date, this 21st-century aircraft has been chosen by 11 Air Forces around the world, including eight European countries and seven NATO members.

The C-390 Millennium can carry more payload (26 tons) compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft and flies faster (470 knots) and farther, being able to perform a wide range of missions, such as transporting and dropping cargo and troops, medical evacuation, search and rescue (SAR), firefighting and humanitarian missions, operating on temporary or unpaved runways, such as packed earth, soil and gravel. The aircraft can also be configured with air-to-air refuelling equipment (AAR), both as a tanker and as a receiver, in this case by receiving fuel from another C-390, using pods installed under the wings.

The C-390 was selected by South Korea in 2023 for its new airlifter programme, the first C-390 customer from Asia. Under the signed contract, Embraer will provide an undisclosed number of C-390 Millennium aircraft specially configured to meet ROKAF’s requirements, as well as services & support including training, ground support equipment and spare parts.

Embraer will also provide a comprehensive consortium and offset package including a significant amount of C-390 Millennium parts to be locally manufactured by Korean partner companies and the development of a local Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) provider. 

Embraer’s aircraft are operated by several defence forces in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. The A-29 Super Tucano aircraft which enables various missions including close air support and advanced training missions are operated by Indonesia and the Philippines. –emb/adj/dl (Pix:EMBRAER)