The UAE is procuring 10 C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, with an option for 10 more, making the UAE the largest export customer for the aircraft and its first customer in the Middle East.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed a contract with Embraer for 10 C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, with an option to purchase 10 more, making the UAE the largest export customer for the aircraft. The contract was signed in the presence of UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Tawazun Council for Defense Enablement stand at the ‘Make It In The Emirates’ expo held in Abu Dhabi on May 4, 2026.
The Tawazun Council for Defense Enablement is a UAE government agency located outside the Ministry of Defense with the purpose of regulating the UAE’s defense industry. The ‘Make It In The Emirates’ expo represents the UAE’s efforts to strengthen industrial resilience and strengthen its position as a regional and global hub for advanced manufacturing. By bringing together defense innovators, government ministers, youth and the media, we hope to help the UAE become more industrially self-reliant.
To this end, the contract for the C-390 was awarded to Embraer on the condition that it collaborate with the UAE’s own defense industry on the aircraft’s maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities. The UAE company is appointed to perform these functions and provide necessary after-sales support throughout the service life of the aircraft. This acknowledges that the UAE currently lacks the capacity to produce its own heavy-lift aircraft but is still working to support its own defense industry.
We witnessed the signing of the largest international contract for the C-390 Millennium aircraft, purchasing 10 aircraft and additional options in a move that strengthens our Air Force’s readiness with advanced multi-mission operational capabilities. It also marks the aircraft’s entry into the Middle East, which reflects global confidence in the effectiveness of our defense systems and supports the domestic production of the military industry. pic.twitter.com/cMZ4PtiPr5
– Mansour bin Zayed (@HHmansour) May 4, 2026
In a translated post on X, Sheikh Mansour said: “We witnessed the awarding of the largest international contract for the C-390 Millennium aircraft, which includes the purchase of 10 aircraft with additional options as a step toward enhancing the readiness of our Airmen with advanced multi-mission operational capabilities.”
He added: “This is the aircraft’s first foray into the Middle East, reflecting global confidence in the effectiveness of our defense systems, while supporting the localization of the military industry and strengthening the country’s industrial integration.”
The UAE’s selection of the C-390 is the largest single export order for the aircraft, with most customers adopting three to four aircraft to meet national requirements. If the option for an additional 10 aircraft is exercised, the UAE will become the largest operator of the C-390, while Brazil is the platform’s main customer so far, having ordered only 19 aircraft.
The UAE’s order makes the aircraft the first millennium export customer from the Middle East, with most countries adopting the aircraft in Europe. Most of these had a requirement to replace their aging existing C-130 fleet.
🇧🇷🇦🇪 Massive defensive action: UAE blocks Brazil’s C-390 transport planes
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed a major contract 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: ~870km/h
🔹… pic.twitter.com/MGaHNNVhGg— Defense Index (@Defence_Index) May 5, 2026
The aircraft underwent an extensive evaluation process prior to selection to ensure the C-390 is suitable for the UAE’s operational environment, allowing the UAE Air Force to select the aircraft best suited to meet critical mission requirements while optimizing operational efficiency and life cycle costs. The aircraft was selected 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 Dr. HE. The meeting was attended by the Secretary General of the Tawazun Committee, Mr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi attended. Bosco da Costa Jr., President and CEO of Embraer, with Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO of Embraer.
“This contract represents a significant operational enhancement to the UAE’s military airlift capabilities, enhancing force readiness and operational effectiveness, and enabling the military to effectively execute a wide range of missions in a variety of operational environments,” Dr. Nasser said.
He later added: “The selection of the C-390 Millennium follows a comprehensive technical and operational assessment to ensure high levels of performance and reliability, while supporting effective integration with existing systems and enhancing the UAE’s multi-mission airlift capabilities over the long term.”
Bosco da Costa explained, “This groundbreaking, mission-proven aircraft will provide the UAE Air Force and Air Force with the versatility and performance needed to perform a wide range of missions anytime, anywhere for decades to come. Embraer is committed to delivering C-390 capabilities and providing world-class support to the UAE with the goal 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 aircraft developed to replace the Brazilian Air Force’s C-130 Hercules. Currently, the Millennium is available in two variants: the C-390 transport and the KC-390 tanker transport. The KC-390 tanker is capable of aerial refueling of other aircraft using two wing aerial refueling pods (WARP) produced by Cobham. This is intended to support FAB’s Gripen E fighter aircraft utilizing probe and drogue refueling systems, increasing the range of operations around the world.
The KC-390’s internal fuel tanks are roll-on/roll-off, allowing rapid reconfiguration depending on mission needs at the time. The aircraft is capable of using three palletized tanks, each capable of carrying 4,000 kg of fuel, significantly increasing fuel transfer capacity. Importantly, a detachable refueling probe can be mounted on the top of the front fuselage, allowing refueling during flight.
Northrop Grumman also recently announced a collaboration with Embraer to further develop the KC-390 Millenium tanker transport aircraft to be equipped with a refueling boom along with two refueling pods. You can read more about this here: aeronautical scientist here.
📍Beja, #Portugal (🇵🇹)
last week, #brazilof (🇧🇷) @embraer 4th KC/C-390 Millennium delivery @fap_pt.
This is the first unit to be equipped with air-to-air refueling pods, giving Portugal a revolutionary new capability.
📸: @embraer pic.twitter.com/WscHjhrIyx
— SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) February 1, 2026
Additionally, Embraer is actively researching applications in the Millennium Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission, with a particular focus on Maritime Patrol (MPA). This is to produce an aircraft that can replace Brazil’s aging P-3 Orion MPA, which was purchased used in the United States in the early 2000s.
The Millennium has similar airfield performance characteristics to the C-130 and is marketed as a more efficient replacement with a higher top speed, longer range and heavier cargo capacity. For example, the Boxer armored vehicle can be deployed with its 169 m3 internal cargo compartment. Even the aircraft’s name, C-390, stands out as a clear branding decision to emphasize the more modern design of the aircraft, which is three times the size of the C-130.
So far, this has paid off, with the Millennium selected to replace the C-130 in many countries around the world, including Sweden and the Netherlands. The aircraft has been an export success to NATO, with the above two countries joining the ranks of Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in operating the platform.
Lithuania had planned to order a number of Millennium aircraft, but these plans were postponed until January and the planned budget was instead used to upgrade existing C-27J transport aircraft. Besides NATO, Millennium listed Brazil as the jet’s main customer, with Austria, South Korea, Uzbekistan and now the UAE taking up the platform.
