The Austrian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 20 September 2023 that it had selected the Embraer C-390 Millennium airlifter as its new military transport aircraft.
Four C-390s will be procured to replace the Austrian Air Force’s current fleet of three Lockheed Martin C-130K Hercules transport aircraft, which were purchased from the UK Royal Air Force in 2002 and are now 56 years old. The air force will thus experience an increase in airlift capabilities in terms of both the fleet and the individual aircraft.
“True to our motto ‘Mission Forward’, we can now finally announce another major milestone for our air force,” Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner was stated as saying in an MoD press release. “Since 2003 the three Hercules aircraft have completed many missions and have always been a reliable transport device for our soldiers. Now it is time for the Embraer C-390 to replace the C-130 Hercules. Embraer’s aircraft system is the only one in the 20-ton class that meets all of our requirements. … It’s a big step towards a modern army and thus more security for the Austrian population.”
The process of initiating a successor to the Hercules fleet was initiated in 2021, according to the Austrian MoD, which added that the “procurement costs for an aircraft” are between EUR 130 M and EUR 150 M and that delivery of the first aircraft “would be possible in 2026/2027 after successful negotiations”.
While the C-130Ks (similar to C-130Es) have a maximum payload of 19 tonnes and a cargo hold that is 12.19 m long, 3.02 m wide and 2.74 m high, the C-390s will each have a maximum payload of 26 tonnes and feature a cargo hold measuring 18.5 m long (floor plus ramp), 3.45 m wide and 2.95 m high.
Peter Felstead
