South Korea’s Milestone Embraer C-390 Military Transport Deal

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) recently chose the Embraer C-390 Millennium for its Large Transport Aircraft (LTA) II program.

This program aims to provide new military transport aircraft to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF).

This decision positions South Korea as the C-390 Millennium’s first Asian customer. Embraer will supply an unspecified number of these aircraft, customized for ROKAF’s needs.

This move signifies South Korea’s commitment to modernizing its military transport capabilities.

The C-390 Millennium’s sale to South Korea may influence other regional countries. They might consider the Brazilian aircraft for their military needs.

The agreement includes comprehensive service and support, covering training, ground support equipment, and spare parts.

The financial details of this contract will be added to Embraer’s fourth-quarter 2023 order book. Embraer also pledges extensive collaboration with South Korean entities.

This includes having significant C-390 Millennium parts manufactured by local South Korean companies.

Additionally, the development of a local Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) provider is part of the deal.

The C-390 Millennium, donning ROKAF colors was recently seen flying over Seoul.

Bosco da Costa Jr, President and CEO of Embraer Defense and Security, expressed pride in ROKAF joining the operators of this modern tactical military transport aircraft.

He lauded its proven ability to handle diverse missions efficiently. Da Costa Jr noted this marks a new phase in Brazil-South Korea relations.

He emphasized their commitment to boosting the local aerospace and defense industries with Korean partners.

South Korea is the seventh nation to choose the C-390, following Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

The C-390 Millennium is redefining military air transport with its multimission capability, reliability, and interoperability.

C-390 outperforms other medium-sized military transport aircraft

The C-390 outperforms other medium-sized military transport aircraft in payload capacity (26 tons), speed (470 knots), and range.

It excels in various missions, including cargo and troop transport, aeromedical evacuation, and humanitarian missions. It can operate on rugged terrain, like unpaved runways.

Equipped for aerial refueling, the KC-390 variant has demonstrated dual capabilities as both tanker and receiver.

Since entering service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, the C-390 has showcased impressive capacity, reliability, and performance.

The existing fleet has accumulated over 10,800 flight hours. It boasts an operational availability of about 80% and mission completion rates of over 99%.

This highlights the C-390’s exceptional efficiency and productivity in its class.