Embraer C-390 Millennium Specs, Variants, Cost and Operators

The Embraer C-390 Millennium is a twin-jet military transport that carries up to 26 tonnes, more than the C-130J, at a cruise speed near Mach 0.80. Built in Brazil and now picked by a growing list of NATO and European air forces, it is the first serious new competitor in the medium airlifter class in decades.

26 t

Maximum payload, per Embraer

~Mach 0.80

Cruise speed, manufacturer figure

2

V2500-E5 turbofan engines

2019

Year of first delivery, to Brazil

What is the Embraer C-390 Millennium

The C-390 Millennium was designed to replace the Brazilian Air Force’s aging C-130 Hercules and C-95 fleets. It was developed by Embraer with support from the Brazilian government, first flew in February 2015 and entered service in 2019 under the KC-390 designation, the name Brazil still uses.

The aircraft sits between the turboprop C-130J and the large four-engine Airbus A400M. Its concept is simple: a jet engine, high-wing layout with a rear ramp, a roughly 18-meter cargo floor, and a design that holds its own against turboprops on short, unprepared strips while flying faster over long legs. Embraer has also designed it for rapid role changes, from cargo to paratroop drops to medevac.

Embraer C-390 specifications

C-390 Millennium key specifications

Specification	Value
Crew	Two pilots plus loadmaster
Engines	Two IAE V2500-E5 turbofans
Maximum payload	About 26,000 kg
Maximum takeoff weight	Around 87,000 kg
Cruise speed	Up to about Mach 0.80 (roughly 870 km/h)
Range with maximum payload	Roughly 2,600 km, manufacturer figure
Passengers or paratroopers	Up to about 80 paratroopers or 66 medevac stretchers, per Embraer
Cargo hold	About 18 m long, 3.45 m wide, 2.9 m high
Runway needs	Operates from short and unprepared strips, per Embraer
Unit cost	Press estimates roughly $90 million to $100 million, varies by configuration

Source: Embraer product literature; performance figures are manufacturer claims and vary with load, altitude and temperature.

The flight deck is fully glass, with fly-by-wire controls, a head-up display and an optional enhanced vision system. Fly-by-wire is a real differentiator in this class: it lets the aircraft manage load and angle limits automatically during low-altitude airdrops, and reduces crew workload on hard landings at austere fields.

C-390 variants and KC-390 tanker role

Most buyers fly a transport version, but the aircraft can be fitted with probe-and-drogue refueling pods under the wings and internal fuel tanks, which is why the Brazilian designation starts with K. The same aircraft can therefore refuel fighters and helicopters in the field. The C-390 also takes a probe, so it can receive fuel from other tankers, extending range on deployments.

Other mission fits include medevac, firefighting with modular water systems, search and rescue, and humanitarian relief. The standard transport is the only version in service, and it appears in our ranking of military transport aircraft.

Who operates the C-390

Brazil was the launch customer. Portugal became the first export operator in 2023, and Hungary followed soon after. The Netherlands and Austria, along with the Czech Republic, placed orders in 2023 and 2024, with Sweden, South Korea and Slovakia among further reported customers, and Uzbekistan also reported as an operator. Several of these are NATO members replacing older C-130 and CASA fleets.

Reported C-390 operators and customers

Country	Notes
Brazil	Launch customer, in service since 2019 as KC-390
Portugal	First export customer; replacing C-130H
Hungary	Two aircraft; first NATO operator in central Europe
Netherlands	Order placed to replace C-130H; deliveries phased
Austria	Order placed to replace C-130K fleet
Czech Republic	Reported order for two aircraft
Sweden, South Korea, Slovakia, Uzbekistan	Reported or contracted; delivery status varies

Order counts and delivery timing change often; consult current Embraer announcements. Table lists countries reported by the company and press.

Combat record is essentially nil. The C-390 has flown humanitarian and relief missions, including deliveries and medevac, but it has not been used in combat to date.

C-390 vs C-130J and A400M

Against the Lockheed Martin C-130J, the C-390 carries more and flies faster, but the Hercules has decades of global support, a broad user base and special-mission variants such as gunships and tankers. Against the Airbus A400M, the C-390 carries less than half the maximum payload but costs less to buy and operate, suiting countries that do not need a strategic airlifter.

Editor’s read

The C-390 does not beat the C-130J at everything, and Embraer has to prove long-term reliability and support outside Brazil. But with Europe rebuilding airlift and pressed for budget, a modern jet with a price below the A400M is finding orders fast. The next test is sustaining production and spare parts as order books grow.