Lithuania selects C-390 as new military transport aircraft

The multi-role C-390 Millennium aircraft has won over another European customer, Lithuania, which has announced plans to purchase three aircraft from Embraer.

The selection was confirmed by the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense and paves the way for the acquisition process to begin, in accordance with the country’s legislation.

Lithuania has a small air force, consisting of only five transport aircraft (three Leonardo C-27J and two LET L-410) and a few general-purpose helicopters.

The country, however, is a member of NATO and as a neighbor of Russia has expressed concerns about its security.

“We have carefully studied the various types of military transport aircraft available on the market, and our assessment has clearly shown that the C-390 Millennium is the most suitable platform to meet our national military operational requirements. Therefore, Lithuania has chosen Embraer Company for further negotiations and expects to finalize the acquisition contract in the coming months,” said  Loreta Maskaliovienė  Vice Minister of National Defence of Lithuania.

“We are honored to have been selected by the Lithuanian authorities. This selection reflects Embraer’s commitment to strengthening defense capabilities in Europe. In this regard, the C-390, with its versatility, performance, and NATO interoperability, is the ideal platform — readily available to carry out the most demanding missions,” said Bosco Da Costa Junior, President & CEO of Embraer Defense & Security.

Waiting for a large order

The new customer reinforces the good evaluation that the C-390 has received in Europe, with orders from countries such as Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Slovakia, many of which are NATO members.

Embraer also has orders from South Korea and an undisclosed country, in addition to 19 aircraft from an initial agreement with the Brazilian Air Force, which is also investing in the project.

With the announcements made at the Paris Air Show, the C-390 now has 53 aircraft sold, including firm orders and purchase intentions.

The program, however, still lacks a major agreement like the one being disputed with Lockheed and Airbus to serve the Indian Air Force, which plans to acquire 40 to 80 aircraft.

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Ricardo Meier

Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.

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