Sweden announced that it has signed a $850 million contract with Embraer for the supply of four C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, with which it will replace five C-130H Hercules. The contract also provides for an option for seven additional aircraft, for Sweden or another country that wants to acquire C-390s through Sweden. We recall that the selection of this aircraft as a replacement for the C-130H was announced in November 2024. In recent years, the C-390 has proven to be a great commercial success for Embraer with successive victories over the competing C-130J Super Hercules. To date, the aircraft has attracted orders for 47 aircraft. A total of nine countries have signed purchase contracts for the aircraft, while two countries have announced their selection and are in talks with Embraer to sign the contract.
The largest user of the aircraft is Brazil (19 aircraft), followed by Portugal (six aircraft), the Netherlands (five aircraft), Austria and Sweden (four aircraft each), South Korea (three aircraft) and Hungary, the Czech Republic and Uzbekistan (two aircraft each). Lithuania and Slovakia are the two countries that have selected the aircraft and are negotiating the contract (three aircraft each). The development of the C-390 Millennium began in May 2008, its first flight took place in February 2015 and it entered service in 2019. It requires a crew of three and can carry up to 80 fully equipped soldiers or 74 stretchers and eight escorts or 66 paratroopers or a maximum load of 26 tons or a combination of cargo and personnel.
It is 35.2 meters long, 35.05 meters wide and 11.84 meters high. The maximum take-off weight is 87 tons. It is equipped with two IAE V2500-E5 engines, with a maximum power of 31,330 pounds each. It achieves a maximum speed of 988 kilometers per hour, with a typical cruising speed of 870 kilometers per hour (stall speed: 193 kilometers per hour). With a load of 14 tons, its range is 5,020 kilometers, while with a maximum load of 26 tons, its range is 2,000 kilometers. The maximum range of the aircraft, for a single route, without return, is 8,460 kilometers (with maximum fuel load and external fuel tanks). Its maximum operational altitude is 36,000 ft. Externally, it incorporates three spindle attachment points.
