Brazilian aviation company Embraer announced that it will supply 4 C-390 Millennium transport aircraft to Sweden, in an important cooperation agreement. This agreement was officially announced during the ongoing LAAD Defense & Security 2025 Fair in Brazil, and Sweden announced that it will purchase Embraer's C-390 model.
C-390 Aircraft and Sweden's Needs
The C-390 Millennium is a new generation military transport aircraft known for its ability to operate in harsh environments. Under the chairmanship of the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, Sweden has entered into a joint procurement agreement with the Netherlands and Austria to supply the C-390. The agreement between the three countries includes a process in which the Netherlands, as an intermediary, will continue the final negotiations to determine the delivery date of the aircraft.
Swedish official Peter Sandwall said that this agreement is a significant upgrade for Swedish defence and that the C-390's NATO interoperability will be of great value to the Swedish Air Force. The new generation C-390 aircraft will enhance Sweden's military operational capacity and will serve effectively for decades to come.
Delivery and Production Process
Final assembly of the aircraft will take place at Embraer’s production facility outside São Paulo, Brazil. Sweden said the aircraft will be given priority in the production process and will be completed quickly. The procurement of the C-390 aircraft will replace Sweden’s existing inventory of older C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
Past Collaboration Between Sweden and Embraer
The cooperation between Sweden and Embraer began with a letter of intent signed in November, announcing the start of the procurement process for the C-390 aircraft for the Swedish Armed Forces. In addition, this agreement will be the first purchaser of the C-390 in Northern Europe.
C-130 Hercules Transformation
The Swedish Armed Forces have been experiencing logistical problems with the C-50 Hercules transport aircraft that have been in their inventory for over 130 years. With the procurement of C-390 aircraft, the C-130H Hercules aircraft will be replaced and the old aircraft will be removed from the inventory.
Embreeer CEO's Comments
Embraer CEO Bosco da Costa Junior said that Sweden's commitment to acquire the C-390 Millennium aircraft is a significant development in the operational capabilities of the Swedish Air Force. This procurement demonstrates that Embraer will continue to provide high-quality military transport aircraft to best meet Sweden's military needs.
This purchase, which Sweden will make with C-390 aircraft, stands out as an important part of the country's efforts to modernize its defense capacity.
