On 25 October 2024 the Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract for the acquisition of two C-390 Millennium multi-mission transport aircraft, manufacturer Embraer reported the same day.
In Czech service the two NATO-standard aircraft will be able to perform a wide range of missions, such as tactical transport of troops, vehicles, and equipment; medical evacuation; firefighting; humanitarian assistance/disaster relief and air-to-air refuelling, the Brazilian manufacturer noted.
Embraer added that the Czech aerospace industry will also see “a significant increase in its share of production for the programme”.
In addition to the aircraft, Embraer will provide a comprehensive training and support package for the Czech Air Force to ensure the smooth integration of the aircraft into its fleet.
“Past and present history clearly shows us that the military needs to be able to transport people and heavier cargo over longer distances. Evacuations from Afghanistan and Sudan are clear evidence of this. I am therefore very pleased that we have managed to acquire aircraft for our air force that are capable of performing these tasks,” Czech Defence Minister Jana Černochová was quoted as saying in an Embraer press release.
“This order from the Czech Republic, a NATO member, is an invaluable mark of confidence for Embraer,” added Bosco Da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “It encourages us to implement the best technology to provide our customers with the operational capabilities needed to accomplish the most demanding missions. With this order, Embraer will reinforce its ties with the local Czech aerospace industry, recognised for its expertise and product quality for decades.”
The C-390 can carry more payload (26 tonnes concentrated) compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft and flies faster (870 km/h). By comparison, a Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules has a maximum payload of 21.7 tonnes and a maximum cruising speed of 657 km/h.
As well as being in service with the Brazilian Air Force, the C-390 Millennium has been ordered by Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria and South Korea.
The current fleet of C-390 aircraft in service around the world has accumulated more than 15,000 flight hours, with a mission capability rate of 93% and mission completion rates exceeding 99%, Embraer noted.
