The Dutch Ministry of Defense has signed a contract to purchase nine Embraer C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft in a joint order with Austria.
The agreement, signed at the Farnborough Airshow, will see the Royal Netherlands Air Force receive five aircraft and the Austrian Air Force four.
Vice-Admiral Jan Willem Hartman, National Armaments Director of the Netherlands, said the joint purchase demonstrates collaboration between European countries.
“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,” Vice-Admiral Hartman said.
The C-390 Millennium is designed to rapidly deploy personnel and equipment worldwide, even in challenging conditions.
Bosco da Costa Jr, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, said the aircraft offers superior performance and technology.
“This aircraft is the best choice in the market, offering an unbeatable combination of high performance, advanced technology and low life cycle costs,” Mr da Costa Jr said.
The C-390 can carry up to 26 tons of payload and fly at speeds of up to 470 knots.
It is capable of performing a range of missions including cargo and troop transport, medical evacuation, search and rescue, and firefighting.
The aircraft can also be configured for air-to-air refueling missions.
Since entering service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, the C-390 fleet has accumulated over 13,000 flight hours.
Embraer reports the aircraft has achieved a mission capable rate of 93% and mission completion rates above 99%.
The joint purchase aims to allow the Netherlands and Austria to cooperate on training, logistics and future upgrades of the platform.
