Sweden has finalized the purchase of four Embraer C-390 Millennium aircraft, expanding its tactical airlift capabilities and strengthening ties with European defense partners.
The acquisition aligns Sweden with a NATO cooperative framework established with Austria and the Netherlands, which together ordered nine aircraft in 2024. This arrangement promotes joint training, interoperability, and coordinated logistics across participating nations.
Under the agreement, Sweden will receive full training and long-term maintenance support. The deal also includes options for seven additional aircraft that may be taken up by other European customers in the future.
Having entered service with Brazil in 2019, Portugal in 2023, and Hungary in 2024, the C-390 has demonstrated impressive operational performance — boasting a 93% mission-capable rate and a 99% mission success rate, according to Embraer.
The aircraft can transport 26 tons of cargo, reach 470 knots (870 km/h or 540 mph), and conduct a wide range of missions including troop deployment, logistics, medevac, and disaster relief.
Built for versatility, the C-390 can operate from rough, unpaved airstrips and, in its KC-390 variant, serve as both a refueling tanker and receiver during aerial operations.
