Embraer Secures Its First Asian Customer for the C-390 Millennium
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has officially selected Embraer’s C-390 Millennium in the Large Transport Aircraft (LTA) II public tender, marking a significant milestone as South Korea becomes the aircraft’s inaugural customer in Asia. The agreement encompasses a tailored number of C-390 Millennium aircraft to align with the Republic of Korea Air Force’s (ROKAF) operational needs, along with a suite of services and support. This includes comprehensive training, ground support equipment, and a supply of spare parts, with the contract’s value slated for inclusion in Embraer’s fourth-quarter backlog for 2023.
Strengthening Brazil-South Korea Aerospace Partnership
Under this landmark contract, Embraer is set to deliver not only the aircraft but also a robust consortium and offset package. This initiative will see a considerable portion of the C-390 Millennium’s components locally manufactured by Korean partner firms, alongside the cultivation of a domestic Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) provider. Bosco da Costa Jr, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, expressed enthusiasm about welcoming the ROKAF to the expanding family of C-390 Millennium operators. He highlighted the aircraft’s proven track record in delivering unmatched efficiency, serviceability, and speed across a broad spectrum of missions. Da Costa Jr also underscored the partnership’s role in heralding a new chapter in Brazil-South Korea relations, with a strong commitment to bolstering the aerospace and defense capabilities of both nations.
The selection of the C-390 by South Korea adds to the aircraft’s growing list of international adopters, which includes Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The C-390 Millennium is redefining the military airlift segment with its multi-mission versatility, reliability, and interoperability, challenging the conventions of both current and next-generation military transport aircraft.
Since its operational debut with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and more recently with the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, the C-390 has showcased its formidable capacity, reliability, and performance metrics. The aircraft boasts an impressive operational availability rate of approximately 80% and a mission completion rate surpassing 99%. With over 10,800 flight hours logged, the C-390 Millennium demonstrates exceptional productivity, capable of carrying a 26-ton payload and achieving speeds of 470 knots. It excels in a variety of roles, from cargo and troop transport to medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian missions, with the capability to operate on diverse runway surfaces including temporary or unpaved ones.
