Slovakia has indicated it will order the C-390, says Embraer

The Slovak defence minister has indicated that the Embraer C-390 Millennium airlifter is the best option for Slovakia’s future military transport requirements, Embraer has reported.

The news came on 10 December 2024, when Slovak Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák, on a visit to Brazil, signed a letter of intent with the Brazilian Ministry of Defence paving the way for deeper industrial co-operation between the two countries. According to Embraer, the Slovak Ministry of Defence will start formal steps toward the purchase of three C-390s in January 2025.

“The C-390 is currently the best aircraft in its category due to its cost efficiency, versatility and reliability, being able to perform the most demanding missions anytime, anywhere. We are confident that the C-390 is the most suitable aircraft to meet the needs of the Slovak Air Force,” Bosco da Costa Junior, president & CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, was reported as saying in an Embraer press release.

A Slovak selection of the C-390 certainly makes sense from a co-operative operations, logistics and maintenance point of view, as the type has already been ordered by neighbouring countries Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

As well as entering service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, the C-390 has also been ordered by the Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden.

According to Embraer, the current worldwide fleet of operational C-390s has accumulated more than 15,500 flight hours, with a mission capability rate of 93% and mission completion rates above 99%.