---
title: KC-390 Military Transport Aircraft
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/aegis/brazil__kc-390-military-transport-aircraft"
hub: aegis
summary: A Brazilian-designed military transport selling to NATO countries — Portugal, Hungary, Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic — competing directly with European and US aircraft
---

# KC-390 Military Transport Aircraft

A Brazilian-designed military transport selling to NATO countries — Portugal, Hungary, Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic — competing directly with European and US aircraft
- Technology Readiness Level: 9/9
- Impact: 4/5
- Investment: 4/5
The C-390 Millennium is a twin-engine tactical transport designed and built by Embraer in Brazil. It carries 26 tons of cargo, performs aerial refueling, and can operate from unpaved runways. Portugal ordered 6 units (with a 6th added in 2025), Hungary received its first in 2023, and the Netherlands, Austria, and Czech Republic have selected it.

This is remarkable: a Brazilian aircraft is being adopted by NATO air forces over competing European and American designs. The C-390 won competitions against the Airbus A400M and Lockheed C-130J on performance, cost, and availability. Portugal called it a 'NATO benchmark.'

The KC-390 represents Brazil's defense-industrial capability at its peak: designing, certifying, manufacturing, and supporting a complex military platform that meets NATO standards. The aircraft is also being evaluated as a civilian cargo platform for Brazil's postal service (Correios).

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/aegis/brazil__kc-390-military-transport-aircraft)