On Thursday, April 3, 2025, the Czech company AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE announced that, under an agreement with the Brazilian company Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica), it had shipped another batch of components to Brazil for the production of the medium-sized jet transport aircraft C-390 Millennium — including, for the first time, parts intended for two aircraft for the Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
Photos: AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE
The first set of components includes the wing leading edge, the rear section of the fuselage, a complete set of doors, and the cargo ramp (the company also supplies emergency exits and hatches — editor’s note). This year, AERO plans to produce eight such sets. The delivery of this particular set also includes parts intended for two Czech C-390 Millennium aircraft, which were contracted by the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic on October 25, 2024, under an agreement worth CZK 11.3 billion.
Earlier, on October 2, Embraer signed Industrial Cooperation Agreements (ICA) with the Czech government and industry representatives to expand collaboration, prior to concluding the main contract. Based on this agreement — valued at CZK 1.89 billion — AERO is supplying components for the future Czech transport aircraft.
“The C-390 Millennium parts production program is a great example of long-standing and effective industrial cooperation, where, thanks to the customer’s trust, we have been able to significantly increase production volume. Aerostructures programs are thus becoming a strategically important pillar of Aero’s revenue alongside the production of the L-39 Skyfox tactical and training aircraft,” says Viktor Sotona, President of Aero.
The C-390 components supplied to Embraer are transported in various ways depending on their size and nature. AERO ships oversized parts — such as the rear fuselage section and the cargo ramp — on low-loader trailers by road to the German port of Hamburg, from where they are transported by sea to the Brazilian port of Santos. From there, they are once again moved on low-loader trailers directly to Embraer’s assembly line in Gavião Peixoto, in the state of São Paulo.
It is different in the case of the wing leading edge and the complete set of doors, which are transported by road to Weiterstadt, where they are consolidated and then shipped by air from Frankfurt to São Paulo. From there, they are once again transported by road to the assembly line.
AERO has been involved in the C-390 Millennium program since 2011, but the agreement signed in October 2024 expanded and deepened the cooperation, increasing the participation of the Czech industry in aircraft production (the state-owned company LOM Praha was also included in the program). Before last year’s agreement, the Czech side was delivering four component sets per year, while the new contract increases the delivery rate to eight sets in 2025 and twelve sets per year after 2026. This partnership strengthens AERO’s position as a key supplier in the aerospace industry and contributes to the development of aviation capabilities not only in the Czech Republic but also globally. AERO is the exclusive supplier of the produced parts for Embraer and is involved not only in manufacturing, but in some cases also in their development.
The C-390 Millennium was selected by the Czech Ministry of Defence on October 16, 2023, but Prague had shown interest in the new Brazilian transport aircraft for over a decade, having signed a letter of intent back in April 2013. The delivery of the first aircraft is expected to take place in 2025. In addition to the aircraft themselves, Embraer will also provide a comprehensive training and support package to ensure the smooth integration of the C-390 aircraft.
Currently, the Czech Air Force does not operate large transport aircraft capable of evacuating a significant number of people from crisis areas or carrying substantial cargo loads. Its current fleet includes six medium Airbus C295 aircraft (including two upgraded C295MWs), four light Turbolet L 410 UVP E-20s, and two passenger-configured Airbus A319CJs. Additionally, as part of NATO cooperation, the Czech Republic has access to heavy Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft operated by a multinational squadron based at the Pápa Air Base in Hungary, under the NATO Airlift Management Programme, as well as Airbus A330-200 MRTT (Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport) aircraft, which are part of the NATO MMF (Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet) consortium.
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