On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, on the occasion of the opening of Singapore Airshow 2026, the Brazilian company Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica) unveiled the first of three medium, jet-powered, multirole C-390 Millennium transport aircraft ordered by the Republic of Korea.
Photo: Embraer
As stated in the press release, the showcased aircraft has completed final assembly and received the paint scheme and markings of its future operator. Preparations will now begin for ground and flight testing, followed by the planned integration of the required systems to meet the operational requirements of the Republic of Korea Air Force (Republic of Korea Air Force; Daehanminguk Gong-gun, ROKAF).
It should be recalled that the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (Defense Acquisition Program Administration; DAPA) of the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of National Defense selected Embraer’s offer under the Large Transport Aircraft-II (LTA-II) program on December 4, 2023. This marked Embraer’s first customer in the Asian region. Competing bids from Lockheed Martin with the C-130J-30 Super Hercules and Airbus Defence and Space with the A400M-180 Atlas were rejected. The contract included additional services and support, such as training, ground support equipment, and spare parts. The program budget amounts to 544.5 million USD.
Embraer also provided a comprehensive offset package worth 135 million USD, covering the local production of a significant number of C-390 Millennium components by three Korean partner companies within a consortium, as well as the development of a local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center.
“The progress of Republic of Korea’s first C-390 Millennium demonstrates both the efficiency and maturity of our production line and the strength of our partnership with DAPA, ROKAF and our Korean suppliers,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “This aircraft represents advanced multi-mission capabilities and reliability backed by engineering excellence for ROKAF. Additionally, industrial cooperation with Korea is advancing very well and strengthening our global supply chain as we scale up our C-390 production to support global customers.”
Currently, the Republic of Korea Air Force (Republic of Korea Air Force; ROKAF) operates 12 C-130H-30 Hercules medium transport aircraft, which are scheduled for retirement by 2035, four newer C-130J Super Hercules acquired in 2014, as well as 18 lighter CASA/IPTN CN235 aircraft that are to be withdrawn from service by 2040.
Beyond Korea, since 2014 Embraer has secured orders for the C-390 Millennium from Brazil (19 aircraft contracted instead of the originally planned 27), Portugal (6 aircraft with an option for 10 more), Hungary (2), the Kingdom of the Netherlands (5), Austria (4), the Czech Republic (2), Sweden (4 with an option for a further 7), and an undisclosed customer (2 aircraft; initially suspected to be Morocco, but according to the manufacturer’s latest information this is Uzbekistan – editor’s note). In addition, three aircraft each are to be ordered by Slovakia and Lithuania, although contracts have not yet been signed. The aircraft is also being marketed in Saudi Arabia, in India in cooperation with the Mahindra Group under the MTA program estimated at 40–80 aircraft, and more broadly across the Asian market. In total, of 47 serial-production aircraft ordered to date, 14 have been delivered so far.
The aircraft is 33.5 m long, with a wingspan of 33.9 m and a height of 11.4 m. Maximum takeoff weight is 87 tonnes, of which payload accounts for 26 tonnes. The cargo hold measures 18.5 × 3.0 × 3.4 m. With a 23-tonne payload, the range is 2,815 km. Powered by two IAE V2500-E5 turbofan engines rated at 139.4 kN each, the aircraft has a cruise speed of 870 km/h and a service ceiling of 11,000 m.
NEWS | Embraer Presents First Republic of Korea Air Force’s C-390 Millennium. Read full news: https://t.co/JQgjQzR97B pic.twitter.com/02fldkirM9
— Embraer (@embraer) February 3, 2026
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