Paris Air Show 2025: Portugal orders sixth KC-390, books 10 purchase options for allies

Brazil’s Embraer announced at the Paris Air Show on 16 June 2025 that Portugal is ordering a sixth KC-390 Millennium airlifter. A contract for the aircraft was signed in front of the gathered press by Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, and Portuguese Minister of National Defence Nuno Melo.

The Portuguese government signed an initial contract for five KC-390s in August 2019 that made the Portuguese Air Force’s (FAP) the first foreign operator of the aircraft.

Interestingly the latest Portuguese KC-390 includes an option to acquire up to 10 additional aircraft on behalf of Portugal’s European and NATO allies, who would buy the aircraft via Portugal as a government-to-government sale.

General João Cartaxo Alves, the FAP’s chief of staff, stated at the press conference in Paris that the sixth Portuguese KC-390 is due to be delivered in 2029, while deliveries of the original five aircraft ordered are due to be complete by March 2027.

The general further explained the rationale behind Portugal taking up the additional KC-390 options, noting that Portugal, as the type’s second customer behind Brazil, is very close to the programme and that the next available production slots for the KC-390 would otherwise be in 2035 at the earliest.

The KC-390 has been ordered or selected by six European nations beyond Portugal: Hungary ordered two in 2020; the Netherlands and Austria contracted for five and four aircraft respectively in July 2024; the Czech Republic ordered two in October 2024; Sweden committed to acquiring four C-390s in April 2025; and Slovakia at the end of 2024 that it would begin formal negotiations to buy three aircraft. Meanwhile, South Korea ordered three aircraft in December 2023 and original customer Brazil, which already has the KC-390 in service, has ordered a total of 19.

Asked by ESD how many KC/C-390s Embraer could ultimately sell, Da Costa Junior replied, “We are forecasting for the next 20 years a demand for this kind of platform of around 500 units [globally] and our consideration is that the KC-390 can capture a good portion of this.”