The Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement has awarded a major contract to Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace company, for the procurement of 10 C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft, with an additional 10 units under options, to strengthen the UAE’s operational airlift capabilities.
The agreement was signed by HE Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of Tawazun Council, and Bosco da Costa Jr., President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, in the presence of HH Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, and Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO of Embraer.
The contract follows an extensive technical and operational evaluation, including a comprehensive testing campaign conducted under the UAE’s demanding environmental conditions.
Based on this process, the UAE Air Force and Air Defense selected the C-390 Millennium as the most suitable platform to meet its mission requirements while optimizing operational efficiency and lifecycle costs.
The aircraft is designed to support a broad spectrum of missions, including troop and cargo transport, airdrop operations, medical evacuation, humanitarian assistance, and operations from unpaved runways.
It also ensures seamless interoperability with allied and partner forces, reinforcing the UAE’s role in regional and international operations.
The agreement includes the development of comprehensive Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities within the UAE, alongside after-sales support services for the fleet.
Image Courtesy: Tawazun | Cropped by GBN
These will be established in collaboration with a national defense company, supporting the country’s strategy to strengthen local industrial capacity and technological expertise.
This agreement represents the largest international order for the C-390 Millennium from a single country to date and marks the aircraft’s first entry into the Middle East market.
Dr. Al Nuaimi stated that, “This contract represents a significant operational enhancement to the UAE’s military airlift capability, strengthening force readiness and operational efficiency, and enabling the Armed Forces to effectively execute a wide range of missions across diverse operational environments.”
Bosco da Costa Junior highlighted that, “This game-changing, mission-proven aircraft will provide the UAE Air Force and Air Defense with the versatility and performance needed to carry out a wide range of missions anytime, anywhere, for decades to come. Embraer is fully committed to delivering the C-390 capability and providing world-class support to the UAE, with the objective of building a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership.”
Positioned as a next-generation military transport aircraft, the C-390 Millennium combines advanced avionics, high payload capacity, and operational flexibility.
Its multi-mission design and built-in interoperability capabilities set new benchmarks in airlift performance, offering a modern solution tailored to the increasingly complex demands of global defense operations.
