Embraer began the assembly of the first KC-390 Millennium for the Hungarian Air Force. The European country is the airlifter’s third customer, after Brazil and Portugal, and has ordered only two aircraft.
According to the airframer, the Critical Design Review (CDR) was recently completed, allowing the structural assembly of the first plane to begin this week.
In the coming weeks, parts of the structural panels and coatings of the main components of the fuselage and semi-wings will be assembled.
The delivery of the first Hungarian KC-390, however, will still take time as it is only scheduled for 2024.
Hungary signed an acquisition agreement with Embraer in November 2020. The multi-mission jets will be equipped with an aerial refueling system, hence the KC-390 nomenclature.
Hungary’s KC-390 will also be the world’s first with an Intensive Care Unit in its configuration, for use in humanitarian missions.
As in the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), Millennium will be able to carry out aerial refueling of Gripen fighters as Hungary has a fleet of the original version.
Embraer is also close to completing the first C-390 of the Portuguese Air Force. FAB operates four aircraft, but the Brazilian government has already decided to reduce the order of 28 units to an undisclosed number.
