Millennium Marches On With Likely New Orders, More Assembly Lines

Steve Trimble February 19, 2024

A contract with a new customer for the Embraer C-390 Millennium could be signed by the end of March and the program will open at least one more assembly line in the near future, the head of Embraer’s defense business tells Aviation Week.

Joao Bosco Costa Junior, president of Embraer Defense & Security, did not identify the potential contract signer. The order could mark a finalizing of terms with one of the three countries—Austria, Czech Republic and the Netherlands—that have committed to buy the tanker-transport since June 2022.

“I am very optimistic to announce a new operator in the first quarter of 2024,” Bosco said in an interview on the eve of the Singapore Airshow.

Embraer also is marketing the twin-jet transport to several more countries, including at least the governments of Colombia, Egypt, India, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden and the U.S. The C-390, which is making a first appearance at the Singapore Airshow, made stops in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and India en route to the Asia-Pacific region. And the aircraft will next fly to Thailand for more local demonstrations.

The C-390 is on display at Singapore Airshow for the first time. Credit: Mark Wagner Aviation Images

As the company campaigns for large fleet orders by the Saudi and Indian government, Bosco said Embraer is open to setting up additional assembly lines for the C-390, which is currently delivered only from Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil.

The Saudi and Indian governments often require manufacturers to establish a local assembly line in return for signing large fleet orders.

“I do believe in the future—in the near-future—the KC-390 will have more than one assembly line in the world,” Bosco says.

More than two assembly lines also has not been ruled-out. Asked if Embraer would be open to managing three assembly lines globally, Bosco replied: “Could be. Could be four!”

Bosco’s remarks reflect a shift in the program’s amendment since the Netherlands committed to buy up to five aircraft in June 2022. Since then, Austria, Czech Republic and South Korea signed commitments to buy additional C-390s, joining the four current buyers Brazil, Hungary, Portugal and South Korea.