An artist's impression of the KC/C-390 Millennium in Austrian markings. On 14 February Embraer announced the commencement of manufacture of the first aircraft for the European customer. (Embraer)
Embraer has begun building the first KC/C-390 Millennium transport aircraft for Austria at its Gavião Peixoto production facility in Brazil.
The manufacturer announced the milestone on 14 February, seven months after Austria and the Netherlands signed for the joint procurement of nine such aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2024. Under the deal, Austria is to field four of the airlifters, and the Netherlands five.
When deliveries commence from 2027, the Austrian Air Force will replace three former UK Lockheed Martin C-130K Hercules aircraft, with the Royal Netherlands Air Force replacing its four ageing C-130Hs. Deliveries are due to commence in 2027.
Designated as C-390 in its transport guise and as KC-390 in its tanker-transport guise, the Millennium can carry more payload than the C-130 at a higher speed and over a farther distance. The airlifter has a hold volume of 170 m³ (including the ramp) and a maximum payload of 23 tonnes (or a concentrated maximum payload of 26 tonnes over the centre of gravity).
Company-released performance specifications give the aircraft a maximum cruise speed of 470 kt (870 km/h); a maximum altitude of 36,000 ft; and a range (with 23 tonnes of payload) of 1,380 n miles (2,556 km), or a ferry flight with internal fuel tanks of 4,640 n miles. The range can be extended by in-flight refuelling.
For more information on the KC/C-390, please see Paris Air Show 2023: Embraer eyes NATO for KC-390 as part of wider sales push .
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