MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Embraer announces sale of four C-390s to Sweden

Operational since 2019, the C-390 can land on rough airstrips, combining cargo transport with medical evacuation and aerial firefighting roles

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer announced Tuesday at the LAAD Defence & Security 2025 event in Rio de Janeiro that it had clinched a US$ 710 million deal to sell four C-390 Millennium military transport units to Sweden.

The agreement would make the new buyer the ninth country to adopt the jet, joining Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, South Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, and an undisclosed customer.

The C-390, operational since 2019, boasts a 26-ton payload, 470-knot (870 km/h) speed, and versatility for cargo transport, medical evacuation, and firefighting, with a 93% mission readiness rate—outpacing older models like the aging US-built Lockheed C-130 Hercules that Sweden intends to phase out.

The South American model was chosen for its cost-efficiency and NATO compatibility.

The deal, which includes training and spare parts, reflects Embraer’s rising prominence in the defense market, now 22% of its US$ 5.3 billion revenue, up from 16% in 2022.

With 14 units delivered last year and 32 in backlog, the C-390’s appeal lies in its modular design, advanced avionics, and affordability—15% cheaper than Lockheed Martin’s C-130J.

Sweden’s purchase, alongside recent orders from Hungary and Austria, strengthens a European maintenance network and aligns with NATO’s modernization push amid geopolitical tensions.

Embraer aims to double its defense revenue by 2030, capitalizing on the jet’s adaptability for missions like Arctic resupply, positioning Brazil as a growing player in global defense exports.