Brazil’s Embraer Delivers Uzbekistan’s First C-390, a Central Asia Debut
BRAZIL · DEFENSE INDUSTRY
Key Facts
- —The country Brazil, with 213 million people, is Latin America’s largest economy. Its planemaker Embraer is best known for regional passenger jets but also builds military aircraft for export.
- —Why it matters The C-390 Millennium is Brazil’s most ambitious defense export: a jet-powered military cargo plane sold against the American C-130 Hercules. Each buyer outside Europe widens its market.
- —Why now Uzbekistan, a former Soviet republic of 37 million people, signed in late 2024 but was only named in February 2026. It is the plane’s first operator in Central Asia.
- —What happened On Friday 25 September 2026 Embraer handed the first of two ordered aircraft to Uzbekistan’s air force at its Gavião Peixoto plant in São Paulo state.
- —The numbers Two aircraft ordered. A payload of 26 tonnes. Thirteen countries have ordered or chosen the type, Embraer says. The company’s order book stood at a record US$34.5 billion in June.
- —What it means for you For Embraer shareholders, defense adds steady, long-dated revenue. For residents and travellers in Brazil, nothing changes; this is an export sale, not a domestic purchase.
- —Still open The price has not been disclosed. Uzbekistan has not said when the plane enters service or when the second one arrives.
Brazil’s Embraer has delivered the first Embraer C-390 military transport to Uzbekistan. The former Soviet republic becomes its first operator in Central Asia.
The handover took place on Friday 25 September at the company’s plant in Gavião Peixoto, in São Paulo state. Uzbekistan has ordered two of the aircraft, according to Embraer’s December 2024 order announcement and Airway.
Brazilian aviation site Airway reports that this first plane was built for Brazil’s own air force. It was reassigned after Brasília cut its order.
A handover in rural São Paulo
The ceremony was attended by Major General Akhmad Jamolovich Burkhonov, commander of the Uzbek air force. Olimkhon Bakiyevich Rustamov, director of the Uzbek state institution O’ztextreyd, was also present, Embraer said.
Gavião Peixoto, in the interior of São Paulo state, is where Embraer assembles and flight-tests its military aircraft. According to Embraer, the contract was finalised in late 2024 and covers training, support services and spare parts.
“The aircraft’s exceptional performance, versatility and multi-mission capabilities will enable us to execute a broad range of missions with greater efficiency,” General Burkhonov said in Embraer’s statement.
Bosco da Costa Junior, chief executive of Embraer Defense & Security, called the plane “the most advanced air mobility solution available today.” The price of the contract has not been published.
A plane first meant for Brazil’s air force
Airway, a Brazilian aviation news site, traced the aircraft through fleet records. It says the plane was due to become FAB 2861 in the Brazilian Air Force, known by its Portuguese initials FAB.
According to Airway and Air Data News, it first flew on 6 August 2026 under a Brazilian test registration. It now carries the Uzbek registration UK39010.
Embraer’s own statement does not mention the aircraft’s earlier allocation.
The switch reflects Brazil’s own budget squeeze. Brasília ordered 28 of the transports in 2014, cut that to 22 in 2022, and later to 19, the two outlets report.
That last cut also stretched Brazilian deliveries out to 2034. Freed-up slots on the line let Embraer serve export customers sooner.
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A first customer in Central Asia
Uzbekistan has about 37 million people, slightly fewer than California. Its economy was worth roughly US$147 billion in 2025, the World Bank says.
It is one of only two countries on Earth where every neighbour is also landlocked.
Embraer first named Uzbekistan as a buyer on 3 February 2026. Until then the order had been listed only as a deal with an “undisclosed customer” for two aircraft, announced in December 2024.
Uzbekistan’s air force has not said when the new aircraft will enter operational service. It has said it plans to use the type mainly for transport and humanitarian missions, Breaking Defense reported in February.
Who else flies or has chosen it
Embraer lists 13 countries that have ordered or selected the Embraer C-390. They are Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, South Korea, the Netherlands, Austria and the Czech Republic.
The rest are Uzbekistan, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Slovakia, Colombia and Lithuania.
Not all of those are firm, signed orders. Airway notes that Sweden, Slovakia and Colombia have selected the aircraft rather than signed for it.
Colombia’s plan is covered in Colombia KC-390 Purchase: Brazil’s Embraer Deal Advances.
The largest export deal so far came from the United Arab Emirates in May. It ordered 10 aircraft with options for 10 more, Airway reports.
Much of the demand comes from European air forces rearming after Russia invaded Ukraine. See The Brazilian Cargo Plane Winning the West’s Rearmament.
What the plane does
The C-390 is a twin-engine jet transport. It carries up to 26 tonnes of cargo at up to 470 knots, about 870 kilometres an hour.
That is faster than the four-propeller C-130 Hercules it is usually compared with.
It can move troops, drop paratroopers and supplies, evacuate the wounded, fight fires and fly search-and-rescue missions. A version called the KC-390 can refuel other aircraft in flight.
It can also land on rough, unprepared runways. Its main rivals are the Lockheed Martin C-130J, built in the United States, and the larger Airbus A400M from Europe.
What it means for Embraer
Embraer ended June with a record order book of US$34.5 billion, up 16% from a year earlier, Reuters reported. This Embraer C-390 sale is part of that total, as tracked in Embraer Q2 Record Backlog Signals Strong Latin American Demand.
A two-plane order is small in money terms. Its significance is geographic: Embraer now has an operator in a region long supplied by Soviet and Russian aircraft.
What comes next
The second Uzbek aircraft is still to be delivered, and no date has been announced. The contract also includes crew training, support services and spare parts.
What the delivery does not mean is also worth stating. It is not a new order, and Embraer has not disclosed any further sales to Central Asia.
Nor does it confirm the price or any change to Brazil’s own 19-aircraft plan. Neither Embraer nor the Brazilian Air Force has commented on the reported reallocation of FAB 2861.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country received the aircraft?
Uzbekistan took delivery of its first Embraer C-390 on 25 September 2026, at Embraer’s plant in São Paulo state, Brazil. It is the type’s first operator in Central Asia.
How many has Uzbekistan ordered?
Two, under a contract finalised in late 2024 and first announced as an order from an undisclosed customer. Embraer named Uzbekistan as the buyer in February 2026.
Was the plane originally built for Brazil?
Brazilian aviation site Airway reports it was due to become air force aircraft FAB 2861 before Brazil cut its order to 19. Embraer has not commented on that.
How much did Uzbekistan pay?
The price has not been disclosed by Embraer or by the Uzbek government.
Sources: Embraer press release, 25 September 2026; Airway (Brazil), 25 September 2026; Air Data News, 25 September 2026; Aviation24.be, 25 September 2026; Breaking Defense, 3 February 2026; Reuters, 24 July 2026; World Bank data for Uzbekistan.
This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error
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