Why Embraer’s C-390 Millennium trajectory continues to climb (updated 2026)
Embraer’s C-390 aircraft has seen interest from various countries including Poland, Greece and South Africa. (Photo: US Air Force)
The medium airlift aircraft is swiftly becoming the top pick for an array of countries wishing to enhance their tactical transport capabilities.
The KC-390/C-390 Millennium, a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft, named the FAB as the launch customer in 2014, with the aircraft first entering service in 2019.
Compared with other transport aircraft platforms, it is the newest entrant into the market, competing against the likes of Lockheed Martin’s C-130H Hercules, its newer version the C-130J Super Hercules, or even Airbus’ A400M multirole tanker-transport (MRTT) aircraft.
The C-390 Millennium is designed for a range of missions, with configurations for humanitarian support, medical evacuation, air-to-air refuelling, cargo
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