Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence has selected the Embraer C-390 Millennium as its next-generation military transport aircraft. This decision marks a major advancement in boosting Lithuania’s operational readiness and interoperability with NATO allies, setting the stage for the acquisition process in accordance with national laws and regulations.
Designed to perform in harsh environments and demanding conditions, the C-390 Millennium offers superior speed, payload capacity, and versatile mission capabilities. Lithuania joins a growing group of European and NATO partners—including Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Slovakia—who have chosen the C-390 to modernize their air forces. This adoption will enhance Lithuania’s operational effectiveness while leveraging European support and training networks.
Since entering service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019, followed by Portugal in 2023 and Hungary in 2024, the C-390 Millennium has demonstrated high reliability and performance, with mission capability rates of 93% and mission completion rates above 99%. With a payload capacity of 26 tons, cruising speed of 470 knots, and the ability to operate from unpaved or temporary runways, the aircraft is capable of a wide range of missions including cargo and troop transport, medical evacuation, firefighting, search and rescue, and humanitarian aid. Configured with air-to-air refueling capabilities, the C-390 has proven effective both as a tanker and receiver, refueling from other C-390s via wing-mounted pods.
