Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer announced Sweden’s order of four C-390 Millennium aircraft. This followed Stockholm’s signing a memorandum of understanding Friday with the Netherlands and Austria to join the military transport plane’s production program.
Per-Unit Cost
According to a Breaking Defense report, an initial Dutch-Austrian MOU for a joint purchase of nine C-390s under the program was signed in April 2024. Dutch State Secretary of Defence Christophe Van der Maat said the Netherlands’ purchase of five aircraft is worth $1.8 billion, and that a joint purchase with Austria results in economies of scale in production and lower per-unit cost.
Embraer disclosed Sweden’s Millennium purchase for the first time in November, noting that it is the sixth procurement among NATO member countries and improves interoperability within the alliance.
Millennium’s Capabilities
Peter Sandwall, state secretary to Sweden’s Minister for Defence Pal Jonson, said the country is proud to acquire the “next-generation NATO interoperable aircraft.”
“The ability of the C-390 to perform its missions in challenging environments anytime, anywhere, will be a welcome upgrade for Sweden’s defense, ensuring effective operations for the decades to come,” he added.
Countries with C-390s include Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, South Korea and the Czech Republic.
The aircraft first entered service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019. It has a 26-ton payload and is designed for long-haul flights up to 479 knots. The KC-390 variant is configured for air-to-air refueling and can function as a tanker and a receiver.