The UAE is procuring ten C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, with an option for ten more, making the UAE the largest export customer for the aircraft and the first in the Middle East.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed a deal with Embraer for ten C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, with an option to buy ten more, making the UAE the largest export customer for the aircraft. The deal was signed on May 4th 2026, at the Tawazun Council for Defense Enablement stand at the ‘Make It In The Emirates’ exposition in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Tawazun Council for Defense Enablement is a UAE government entity that sits outside of the Ministry of Defence, with the purpose of regulating the country’s defence industry. The ‘Make It In The Emirates’ exposition represents the UAE’s efforts to strengthen industrial resilience and reinforce its position as a regional and global hub for advanced manufacturing. By bringing together defence innovators, government ministers, youth and the media, it is hoped that the UAE can increase its own industrial self reliance.
To this end, the contract for the C-390 was awarded to Embraer under the condition that it collaborate with the UAE’s own defence industry on the aircraft’s maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities. A UAE company would be assigned to fulfil these capabilities and any after sales support that the aircraft would require throughout its service life. This recognises that whilst the UAE currently lacks the ability to produce its own heavy lift aircraft, it is still working to support its own defence industry.
شهدنا توقيع أكبر تعاقد دولي لطائرات C-390 ميلينيوم، مع شراء 10 طائرات وخيارات إضافية، في خطوة تعزز جاهزية قواتنا الجوية بقدرات تشغيلية متقدمة ومتعددة المهام. كما تمثل أول دخول للطائرة إلى الشرق الأوسط، بما يعكس ثقة عالمية بكفاءة منظومتنا الدفاعية، ويدعم توطين الصناعات العسكرية… pic.twitter.com/cMZ4PtiPr5
— منصور بن زايد (@HHmansour) May 4, 2026
In a translated post on X, Sheikh Mansour stated: “We have witnessed the signing of the largest international contract for C-390 Millennium aircraft, involving the purchase of 10 aircraft with additional options, in a step that enhances the readiness of our air forces with advanced, multi-mission operational capabilities.”
He further added that: “This also marks the aircraft’s first entry into the Middle East, reflecting global confidence in the efficiency of our defense system, while supporting the localization of military industries and strengthening the state’s industrial integration.”
The UAE’s selection of the C-390 represents the largest single export order for the aircraft, with most customers adopting between three and four aircraft to meet their national requirements. If the option for extra 10 aircraft is exercised, that would make the UAE the largest operator of the C-390, with Brazil having so far only ordered 19 aircraft as the lead customer for the platform.
The UAE’s order also makes this the first export customer for the Millennium in the Middle East, with the majority of nations adopting the aircraft coming from Europe. Most of these had requirements to replace their elderly existing C-130 fleets.
🇧🇷🇦🇪 BIG DEFENSE MOVE: UAE locks in Brazil’s C-390 airlifters
The United Arab Emirates has signed a major deal with Embraer for 10 C-390 Millennium aircraft, with options for 10 more, marking the jet’s first entry into the Middle East.
🔹Payload: 26 tons
🔹 Speed: ~870 km/h
🔹… pic.twitter.com/MGaHNNVhGg— Defence Index (@Defence_Index) May 5, 2026
The aircraft had been subjected to an extensive evaluation process prior to selection, to ensure that the C-390 would be suitable to the UAE’s operational environment, with the UAE’s Air Force selecting the aircraft as the best suited to meet its critical mission requirements while optimizing operational efficiency and lifecycle costs. The aircraft was chosen for its ability to perform a wide range of missions, including cargo and troop transport, airdrop operations, humanitarian assistance, medical evacuation, operations from unpaved runways, and seamless interoperability with national assets as well as allied and partner forces.
The deal itself was signed by H.E. Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, the Secretary General of the Tawazun Council and Mr. Bosco da Costa Jr., President & CEO of Embraer, in the presence of Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO of Embraer.
Dr. Nasser said: “This contract represents a significant operational enhancement to the UAE’s military airlift capability, strengthening force readiness and operational efficiency, and enabling the Armed Forces to effectively execute a wide range of missions across diverse operational environments.”
He later added: “The selection of the C-390 Millennium follows a comprehensive technical and operational evaluation, ensuring high levels of performance and reliability, while supporting effective integration with existing systems and advancing the UAE’s multi-mission airlift capabilities over the long term.”
Bosco da Costa then explained: “This game-changing, mission-proven aircraft will provide the UAE Air Force and Air Defense with the versatility and performance needed to carry out a wide range of missions anytime, anywhere, for decades to come. Embraer is fully committed to delivering the C-390 capability and providing world-class support to UAE, with the objective of building a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership.”
C-390 Millennium
The Embraer C-390 Millennium is an indigenously developed twin jet engine cargo transport developed to replace the C-130 Hercules in Brazilian Air Force service. Currently, the Millennium is available in two variants, the C-390 transport aircraft and the KC-390 tanker-transport, which is capable of aerial refuelling other aircraft using two Cobham-produced wing aerial refueling pods (WARPs). This is intended to support the FAB’s Gripen E fighter jets that utilise the probe and drogue refueling system, increasing the range at which they can operate around the world.
The internal fuel tanks for the KC-390 are roll-on/roll-off, allowing rapid reconfiguration based on mission needs at the time. The aircraft can take three palletized tanks, with each capable of carrying 4,000 kg of fuel, significantly increasing its fuel transfer capabilities. Importantly, the aircraft can also be refueled in flight, as it can be equipped with a removable refueling probe installed on the upper-forward fuselage.
Northrop Grumman also recently announced a collaboration with Embraer to further develop the KC-390 Millenium tanker-transport aircraft into having a refueling boom equipped alongside the two refueling pods. More can be read about this on The Aviationist here.
📍Beja, #Portugal (🇵🇹)
Last week, #Brazil‘s (🇧🇷) @embraer delivered the 4th KC/C-390 Millennium to the @fap_pt.
This is the 1st unit delivered with air-to-air refueling pods, giving Portugal revolutionary new capabilities.
📸: @embraer pic.twitter.com/WscHjhrIyx
— SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) February 1, 2026
Additionally, Embraer is actively studying the adaptation of the Millennium for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, with a specific focus on maritime patrol (MPA). This is intended to produce an aircraft that can replace Brazil’s currently ageing P-3 Orion MPA, which were bought second hand from the United States in the early 2000s.
The Millennium has similar airfield performance characteristics to those of the C-130, and it is marketed to be a more efficient replacement with a faster top speed, longer range and a heavier cargo capacity, for example allowing for the deployment of a Boxer armoured vehicle from its 169 m³ internal cargo bay. Even the name of the aircraft, the C-390, stands out as a clear branding decision to highlight the more modern design of the aircraft, being a C-130 times three.
So far this has paid off, with the Millennium being chosen to replace the C-130 for many nations around the world including Sweden and the Netherlands. The aircraft has become an export success in NATO, with the above two nations joining the ranks of Portugal, Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia in operating the platform.
Lithuania had planned to order a number of Millennium aircraft, but these plans were postponed in January, with the planned budget being used to upgrade its existing C-27J transport aircraft instead. Outside of NATO, the Millennium has been selected by Brazil as the lead customer for the jet, whilst Austria, the Republic of Korea, Uzbekistan and now the UAE have since taken up the platform.
