Embraer has announced the delivery of the first C-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft to the Hungarian Air Force. This aircraft is the first in the world to be equipped with a roll-on/roll-off Intensive Care Unit, enhancing its capability for humanitarian and medical evacuation missions. It fully meets NATO requirements in both hardware and avionics and communications configurations.
The C-390 Millennium is designed to fulfil various military and civilian roles for the Hungarian Defence Forces, including medical evacuation, humanitarian support, search and rescue, cargo and troop transport, precision cargo airdrop, paratrooper operations, and air-to-air refuelling.
“The arrival of this aircraft represents a real milestone for the Hungarian Air Force as it will give the Hungarian Defence Forces unprecedented capabilities in military air transport. It is in Hungary’s security interest to have strong, well-equipped, modern defence forces, and we are working on that. Embraer is an excellent partner in this”, said Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Minister of Defence of Hungary.
Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defence & Security, described the delivery as an achievement, noting the C-390 Millennium’s exceptional performance, flexibility, and reduced life-cycle costs, which make it an ideal choice for European airlift needs. He expressed confidence that the C-390 will greatly enhance Hungary’s capabilities and looked forward to supporting the aircraft’s integration into service.
The C-390 can carry up to 26 tonnes of payload and offers superior speed (470 knots) and range compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft. It is capable of a wide range of missions, including cargo and troop transport, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian aid, and can operate from temporary or unpaved runways. When configured as the KC-390, it can perform air-to-air refuelling both as a tanker and a receiver, including receiving fuel from another KC-390 equipped with under-wing pods.
