First Flight Introduced The Next-Gen Multi-Mission Tactical Transport

Embraer celebrated the 10th anniversary of the first flight of its KC-390 Millennium military transport aircraft on February 3, 2015, and lasted nearly 90 minutes and gave the crew an opportunity to evaluate its performance and handling characteristics.

The KC-390 is Embraer’s first next-generation multi-mission tactical transport that has since performed a wide range of missions in demanding conditions. The aircraft has also gained impressive acceptance in global defense markets.

In 2018, the aircraft received its Type Certificate from the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), signaling a critical milestone in progressing toward military certification. That same year also marked the first flight of the production model aircraft.

Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer of Defense & Security explained, “In just one decade, the KC-390 has proven to be an unbeatable combination of versatility, robustness and flexibility, steadily gaining its place in the market and becoming the ideal choice for countries looking for a multi-mission tactical military transport.

“This aircraft combines the best of aerospace technology with the spirit of Embraer, dedicated to excellence and performance, enabling our customers to execute their missions anytime, anywhere.”

Portugal and Hungary purchased the KC-390 in 2020, and in 2022 those countries were joined by the Netherlands. Austria, the Czech Republic, and the Republic of Korea selected the Brazilian transport in 2023, to be accompanied by Sweden and Slovakia in 2024.

The KC-390 is a medium-sized transport that is capable of operating off of temporary or unimproved runways and can carry 26 tons of payload. It is used for a range of missions including transporting troops and cargo, medical evacuation, search and rescue, air-to-air-refueling, firefighting, and humanitarian flights.

FMI:  embraer.com/