First KC-390 Millennium lands in Hungary with official handover pending

The first Embraer KC-390 Millenium multi-mission transport and tanker aircraft has landed at the Hungarian Air Force’s (HuAF’s) base in Kecskemét, central Hungary.

Hungarian minister for defence Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that the testing schedule, which began after the aircraft’s first take-off on February 8, 2024, has entered its final phase, with ground and air tests being carried out in the final stages of the production process.

The current testing phase will involve the installation and validation of NATO’s special communications equipment. Following this, the minister said, the aircraft would return to Brazil to complete the work. He added that the official handover and its registration would take place from September to November 2024.

Hungary was the second European nation to sign for the Brazilian aircraft after Portugal in 2020. Two KC-390s will be supplied to Hungary, with deliveries initially scheduled between 2023 and 2024 for the first aircraft. The second unit was scheduled to begin production in December 2022 and was expected to be delivered by the end of 2024.

Earlier this year, Hungary announced it would also boost its Gripen JAS 39C/D fleet to 18 after Saab signed an agreement with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for four additional Gripen JAS 39C fighters for the HuAF.

Capable of being refuelled in-flight and quickly configured as a tanker, Hungary will be able to conduct air-to-air refuelling with its future KC-390s and its Gripen fighters.