Embraer reveals first C-390 Millennium for South Korean Air Force

Embraer has revealed that the first C-390 Millennium transport aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has entered the final stage of assembly, the company said during the Singapore Airshow on February 3.

Although the announcement was made in Singapore, the aircraft itself remains in Brazil, where it will proceed to production flight testing before the installation of mission-specific systems required by the ROKAF. The milestone marks tangible progress in South Korea’s Large Transport Aircraft II (LTA-II) program, under which the country selected the C-390 through a public competition.

South Korea became the first Asian customer for the C-390 Millennium with its selection of the type, expanding the aircraft’s footprint beyond South America and Europe. Embraer said the program has advanced in coordination with South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration and local industry partners.

At the same event, Embraer also disclosed that Uzbekistan is the previously unnamed customer that signed for two C-390 aircraft. The agreement was concluded in December 2024, but the customer’s identity had not been made public until now. Uzbekistan will use the aircraft primarily for transport and humanitarian missions, becoming the first operator of the type in Central Asia.

The C-390 Millennium is a twin-engine, medium airlifter designed to perform a range of military and humanitarian missions, including troop and cargo transport, medical evacuation, search and rescue, and disaster relief. The aircraft can also be configured for aerial refueling roles. It is positioned as a replacement for older-generation medium transport aircraft.

Embraer lists the C-390 as having been selected by the air forces of Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, South Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Uzbekistan, Slovakia and Lithuania.

Lithuania, however, announced in January 2026 that it had decided to postpone its plans to acquire two C-390 aircraft until 2030, leaving open the possibility of revisiting its requirements before moving forward.

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