Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence has confirmed the Embraer C-390 Millennium as the country’s next-generation military transport aircraft. This milestone enhances Lithuania’s operational readiness and interoperability within NATO, and the acquisition process will follow national legal requirements.
Designed for demanding and austere environments, the C-390 Millennium provides superior speed, payload, and mission versatility. Lithuania joins a growing list of European and NATO nations—including Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Slovakia—that have adopted the C-390 to update their air forces. This move will boost Lithuania’s operational strength while integrating into Europe’s established support and training frameworks.
Since its introduction with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019, and later with Portugal in 2023 and Hungary in 2024, the C-390 Millennium has demonstrated outstanding reliability and performance, maintaining a 93% mission capability rate and over 99% mission completion rate. Capable of carrying 26 tons—more than many other medium-sized transports—and cruising at 470 knots, it supports a variety of missions including cargo and troop delivery, medevac, firefighting, search and rescue, and humanitarian aid, operating efficiently from temporary or unpaved runways. Additionally, it can be configured with air-to-air refueling systems and has proven its ability to both refuel other aircraft and receive fuel in flight.
