The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence has confirmed the selection of Embraer’s C-390 Millennium as its next-generation military transport aircraft. This choice marks a significant advancement in Lithuania’s readiness and NATO interoperability, with the acquisition set to follow national legal frameworks and procedures.
Built to excel in tough and austere environments, the C-390 Millennium provides enhanced speed, payload capacity, and mission flexibility. Lithuania becomes the latest in a group of European and NATO nations—such as Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Slovakia—to adopt the C-390 for their air forces’ modernization efforts.
Since entering service with Brazil in 2019, and later Portugal (2023) and Hungary (2024), the aircraft has demonstrated outstanding performance, with a mission capability rate of 93% and mission success over 99%. The C-390’s 26-ton payload capacity, cruising speed of 470 knots, and adaptability for multiple mission types—including cargo and troop transport, medevac, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian missions—make it highly effective even on short, unpaved runways. Equipped for air-to-air refueling, the C-390 has proven its versatility as both a tanker and receiver using underwing pods.
