The Netherlands Ministry of Defense today signed the contract for the acquisition of nine Embraer C-390 Millennium aircrafts during a ceremony at the Farnborough Airshow. This is a joint purchase with Austria.
KEY POINTS:
- The joint purchase allows both countries to obtain a lower price per aircraft.
- The Netherlands is purchasing five C-390s and Austria four.
With this joint order, both countries seek to increase their ability to rapidly deploy or evacuate equipment and personnel around the world, even under difficult operating conditions. The enhanced tactical airlift capability provided by the C-390 increases operational flexibility and responsiveness, provides logistical support in a variety of missions and operations, and enables a wide range of humanitarian and medical tasks.
The joint purchase will also allow both nations, as well as current and future operators, to cooperate and benefit from synergies in areas such as training, logistics and future platform growth, along with the other C-390 operators in NATO nations. The C-390 Millennium provides maximum operational readiness, enabling interoperability and connectivity in networked environments and multiple domains.
“It is great that we can sign this agreement for both Austria as the Netherlands. I’m happy to see that we can buy these planes with the same specifications. This is a good example of collaboration in Europe between countries. The constructive support of Embraer has played a crucial role in the successful realization of this agreement. We appreciate the contribution of Embraer and look forward to a successful cooperation”, said Vice-Admiral Jan Willem Hartman, National Armaments Director of the Netherlands.
“We welcome the Netherlands and Austria as the newest members of the growing group of nations that have ordered the C-390 Millennium, the most efficient and modern military tactical transport currently in operation”, said Bosco da Costa Jr, President and CEO, Embraer Defense & Security. “This aircraft is the best choice in the market, offering an unbeatable combination of high performance, advanced technology and low life cycle costs.”
Since entering operation with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, the C-390 has proven its capability, reliability and performance. The current fleet of aircraft in operation has accumulated more than 13,000 flight hours, with a mission capability rate of 93% and mission completion rates above 99%, demonstrating exceptional productivity in the category.
The C-390 can carry a payload of up to 26 tons and fly at 470 knots, over a long distance. It is capable of performing a wide range of missions such as transporting and dropping cargo and troops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and humanitarian missions, operating on temporary or unpaved runways. The aircraft configured with air-to-air refueling equipment, with the designation KC-390, can operate as both a tanker and a receiver, in this case also receiving fuel from another KC-390 via pods installed under the wings.
Other customers that selected the Millennium include Hungary, South Korea and the Czech Republic. It is also being evaluated by Poland as a replacement for its C-130H Hercules.
