After several test and familiarization flights, Embraer delivered the first C-390 Millennium to the Hungarian Air Force on September 5.
The European country is the second customer of the multi-role aircraft to be a NATO member and therefore receives the jet with the avionics and communications configuration of the military alliance, as does Portugal.
In addition, the Millennium was equipped for the first time with a roll-on/roll-off Intensive Care Unit, which will be used in humanitarian and medical evacuation missions.
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Hungary was the third customer of the C-390, signing a commitment for two aircraft in November 2020.
“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. 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”, said Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Minister of Defence of Hungary.
“This is a very special moment for Embraer, as we deliver the first C-390 Millennium to the Hungarian Air Force. This aircraft delivers an unbeatable combination of performance, flexibility and reduced life cycle costs, making it the airlift of choice in Europe”, said Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “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.”
40 orders e purchase intentions
The C-390 Millennium was developed at the request of the Brazilian Air Force as a more capable replacement for the C-130 Hercules turboprop.
The aircraft can carry 26 tons of payload and cruises at 470 knots. Embraer has prepared the C-390 to perform a wide range of missions, such as cargo and troop transport and airdrop, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and humanitarian missions, operating from temporary or unpaved runways.
The aircraft is configured by default with the ability to perform air-to-air refueling, simply by installing pods under the wings.
The new airlifter entered service exactly five years ago with the Brazilian Air Force. To date, there are 40 orders and purchase intentions for the aircraft.
