Embraer C-390 Awaits Milestone South Korean Decision After Recent Wins

DUBAI—On the heels of three competitive victories in the last 18 months, Embraer’s C-390 Millennium is gearing up for a new round of major contract opportunities around the globe, with the first decision due by South Korea in a few weeks. 

The Brazilian tanker-transport and the Lockheed Martin C-130J are the finalists for South Korea’s Light Transport Aircraft-II (LTA-II) contract award for four to six aircraft. A final selection is expected in early December, and the winner will proceed into pricing negotiations with South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

“The most important one and the closest one is South Korea,” says Joao Bosco Costa Jr., CEO of Embraer Defense and Security. “We are expecting a final decision there in the first week of December.”

The twin-jet C-390 is competing for the LTA-II deal against the Lockheed Martin C-130J. In 2022, Embraer announced partnerships with several South Korean companies to support a future C-390 fleet in the country, including ASTG, EMK and Kencoa Aerospace.

Embraer believes the C-390’s capabilities also are positioned well for India’s search for a Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA). In August, the Indian government released a request for information for the MTA program, calling for responses from companies with the ability to provide 40-80 airlifters with a payload capacity in the 18- to 30-ton range. The C-390 can carry 23-26 tons, depending on the configuration. 

The Middle East region’s plans for new airlifters are not quite as clear, but Embraer continues to prepare for long-anticipated procurements in Saudi Arabia and possibly the UAE. Bosco confirms that a partnership with BAE Systems remains active to market the C-390 to Saudi Arabia.

After a slow start on the international market, the C-390 program has been gaining momentum lately. The Netherlands, Austria and the Czech Republic have selected the Millennium since June 2022, joining previous orders by Hungary, Portugal and Brazil. Austria and the Netherlands are discussing a possible joint order of the C-390, while the Czech Republic has opened pricing negotiations with Embraer.