The Dutch and Austrian Ministries of Defence will acquire nine Embraer C-390 Millennium aircraft. The announcement was made during a signing ceremony at the Farnborough Air Show. Under the “Replacement of Tactical Airlift Capacity” project, five aircraft will be procured for the Royal Netherlands Air Force and four for the Austrian Air Force. 

With this joint order, both countries aim is to increase their ability to rapidly deploy or evacuate equipment and personnel worldwide, even under difficult operational conditions. The enhanced tactical airlift capacity provided by the C-390 increases operational flexibility and responsiveness, provides logistical support in various missions and operations, and enables a wide range of humanitarian and medical tasks.

The joint purchase will also allow both countries to benefit from synergies in areas like training, logistics and future growth of the C-390 platform, together with the other C-390 operators in NATO countries.

The C-390 will improve operational capacity by offering better performance, greater reliability, and higher transport capacity. “I'm happy that we can buy these planes with the same specifications,” said Vice-Admiral Jan Willem Hartman, National Armaments Director of the Netherlands. “This is a good example of collaboration in Europe between countries.”

President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security Bosco da Costa Jr, welcomed the Netherlands and Austria as the newest members of a growing group of nations that have ordered the C-390 Millennium. “This aircraft is the best choice in the market, offering an unbeatable combination of high performance, advanced technology and low life cycle costs,” he said.

Since entering operation with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, the C-390 has accumulated more than 13,000 flight hours, with a “mission-capable rate” of 93% and mission completion rates above 99%.

The C-390 can carry more payload (26 tons) compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft and flies faster (470 knots) and farther, making it suitable for a wide range of missions such as transporting and dropping cargo and troops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian missions.

It can operate on temporary or unpaved runways. The aircraft configured with air-to-air refueling equipment, with the designation KC-390, can operate both as a tanker and  a receiver, in this case also by receiving fuel from another KC-390 using pods installed under the wings.

Embraer also announced the sale of six A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to the Paraguayan Air Force at the Farnborough Air Show. Air General Júlio Rubén Fullaondo Céspedes, Commander of the Paraguayan Air Force said" “To face emerging threats, we are in the process of modernising our aerial and detection capabilities, and we intend to be up to the technological standards that allow us to correctly apply the measures established in the Law on Surveillance and Protection of Paraguayan Airspace  to effectively contribute to the preservation of regional and international peace and security”.

The A-29 Super Tucano offers a wide range of missions such as close air support, air patrol, special operations, air interdiction, JTAC, forward air controller, air and tactical coordinator, Armed ISR, border surveillance, reconnaissance, air escort, basic, operational and advanced training, transition to air superiority fighters, JTAC/LIFT and FAC training.