Embraer delivered the first KC-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft to the Hungarian Air Force on 5 September 2024.
The aircraft will be the first to be equipped with a roll-on/roll-off intensive care unit, making it especially well equipped to perform humanitarian and medical evacuation missions, but the Hungarian Air Force will also use it for cargo and troop transport, precision cargo airdrop, paratroop, air-to-air refuelling and search and rescue missions.
The Hungarian government contracted Embraer to supply two KC-390s in November 2020.
The Hungarian C-390 is fully compatible with NATO requirements, not only in terms of its hardware but also in its avionics and communications configuration, Embraer noted in a press release.
“The arrival of this aircraft represents a real milestone for the Hungarian Air Force as it will give the Hungarian Defence Forces unprecedented capabilities in military air transport,” Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky was quoted as saying in an Embraer press release. “It is in Hungary’s security interest to have strong, well-equipped, modern defence forces, and we are working on that. Embraer is an excellent partner in this.”
“This is a very special moment for Embraer as we deliver the first C-390 Millennium to the Hungarian Air Force,” added Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “This aircraft delivers an unbeatable combination of performance, flexibility and reduced lif-cycle costs, making it the airlift of choice in Europe. We are confident that the C-390 will add important capabilities to Hungary and we look forward to supporting the aircraft’s entry into service.”
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.
While the C-390 can achieve a range of 2,000 km with a 26-tonne payload, the C-130J-30 can reach 4,425 km with a 20-tonne payload.
However, when configured with air-to-air refuelling equipment, when it is designated the KC-390, a Millennium can both dispense fuel and receive it from another KC-390, extending its range.
Since entering operation with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, the C-390 as a type has accumulated more than 14,000 flight hours, achieving a mission capable rate of 93% and mission completion rates above 99%, according to Embraer.
