Embraer C-390 Millenium For UAE
EMBRAER received an order from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force for the firm’s C-390 Millenium, marking the first selection of the C-390 by a Middle Eastern client. The contract was inked by Tawazun Council for Defense Enablement Secretary General Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi and Embraer Defense & Security President and CEO Bosco da Costa Jr in the presence of Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan as well as Embraer President and CEO Francisco Gomes Neto.
The signing took place during a visit by His Highness to the Tawazun Council for Defense Enablement booth at Make it in the Emirates 2026. The Tawazun Council for Defense Enablement is the national entity for enabling and regulating the UAE’s defence and security industrial ecosystem.
With the contract, the UAE Air Force commits to the procurement of 10 firm C-390 orders with an option for 10 more to strengthen the country’s operational airlift capabilities in collaboration with an UAE defence company. Comprehensive maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, along with after-sales support services for the C-390 aircraft will be developed in collaboration with a national company. To date, this landmark agreement represents the largest international order from one single country for the C-390 and marks the aircraft’s first success in the Middle East, underscoring its strong alignment with the demanding requirements of modern air forces operating in complex environments.
Following an extensive analysis and evaluation process which included a comprehensive test campaign in the UAE’s operational environment, the UAE Air Force and Air Defense selected the C-390 as the aircraft best suited to meet its critical mission requirements while optimising operational efficiency and lifecycle costs. The C-390 will enable the UAE Air Force and Air Defense to perform a wide range of missions, including cargo and troop transport, airdrop operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), operations from unpaved runways, and seamless interoperability with national assets as well as allied and partner forces.
“This contract represents a significant operational enhancement to the UAE’s military airlift capability, strengthening force readiness and operational efficiency, and enabling the Armed Forces to effectively execute a wide range of missions across diverse operational environments.”“The selection of the C-390 follows a comprehensive technical and operational evaluation, ensuring high levels of performance and reliability, while supporting effective integration with existing systems and advancing the UAE’s multi-mission airlift capabilities over the long term,” Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi said.
Bosco da Costa Junior added, “We are extremely proud that the UAE has selected the C-390 Millennium to enhance its airlift capabilities. This game-changing, mission-proven aircraft will provide the UAE Air Force and Air Defense with the versatility and performance needed to carry out a wide range of missions anytime, anywhere, for decades to come. Embraer is fully committed to delivering the C-390 capability and providing world-class support to UAE, with the objective of building a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership.”
The C-390 Millennium represents the next generation of military airlift with multi-mission capability and interoperability built by design. It redefines the standards of versatility, reliability, and operational efficiency, while consistently demonstrating its advanced military airlift capabilities. Selected by 12 countries, the C-390 can carry more payload (26 tons) compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft and flies faster (470 knots) and farther, being capable of performing a wide range of missions, such as transporting and dropping cargo and troops, MEDEVACs, search and rescue (SAR), firefighting and humanitarian missions, and operating on temporary or unpaved runways, such as packed earth, soil and gravel.
Additionally, Embraer and UAE-based defence and technology firm Generation 5 Holding signed an exclusive strategic partnership agreement to cover a comprehensive scope of the C 390 in the UAE. Under the agreement, the two companies aim to develop comprehensive MRO capabilities and after-sales support for the aircraft in the UAE and the Middle East, focused on ensuring mission readiness, rapid response, and long-term fleet sustainability for regional operators. The partnership also encompasses opportunities for industrial and supply chain integration related to the C 390, and related training programs for technical, maintenance, and operational personnel, further supporting related knowledge transfer and workforce.–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:EMBRAER)