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Embraer Offers C390 Transport Aircraft to Poland
Brazilian aerospace giant Embraer is actively courting Poland with its C-390 Millennium tactical transport aircraft, proposing not only the aircraft itself but also the establishment of a comprehensive local assembly line and supply chain integration.
Embraer believes that such a facility (alongside those for the E-Series single-aisle commercial airliner) could generate upwards of $3 billion USD in economic value for the Polish economy and around 5,000 jobs over the next decade.
Poland currently operates a fleet of aging Lockheed Martin C-130E and C-130H Hercules aircraft.
The Polish Ministry of Defense expressed an urgent requirement to modernize both its airlift and aerial refueling capabilities, especially in light of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War.
For Embraer, Poland could be the gateway to establishing a strong European presence, with the company’s Chief Commercial Officer, Frederico Lemos, stating: “Poland is for us more than a potential customer, but a true operational and industrial long-term partner, and the perfect location for the European assembly line we want to develop.”
The C-390 Millennium itself offers several distinct advantages over the turboprop-powered Hercules.
Powered by two IAE V2500-E5 high-bypass turbofan engines, the same engines widely used via the Airbus A320, the C-390 benefits from an extensive global support network and lower maintenance costs.
This engine commonality with commercial aviation significantly reduces logistical complexity and enhances operational efficiency.
With a maximum take-off weight of approximately 87 tons and a payload capacity of about 26 tons, the C-390 matches or exceeds many performance metrics of legacy Hercules variants.
Its jet propulsion allows for higher cruising speeds, shorter mission completion times, and greater fuel efficiency on longer flights compared to turboprop aircraft.
Additionally, the C-390 offers multi-role capabilities including aerial refueling via hose-and-drogue pods, medical evacuation configurations with dedicated intensive care units (ICUs), humanitarian aid missions, and rapid deployment operations.
The C-390 Millennium has already secured orders from several NATO countries including Portugal, Hungary, Austria, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, and most recently, South Korea.
Today, it appears that the C-390 is better positioned than ever to fully challenge the adage, “Only a Herc can replace a Herc” and capture valuable market share from Lockheed Martin’s venerable platform.
Embraer’s strategy extends beyond Europe. The company is actively pursuing a substantial order from India – potentially up to 40 aircraft – as part of India’s Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) procurement project aimed at replacing aging Antonov An-32 and Ilyushin Il-76 fleets.
Embraer has partnered with India’s Mahindra Group under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), proposing local assembly lines, technology transfer agreements, and establishing India as a regional hub for C-390 production.
Currently, the C-390 draws on a diversely distributed network of producers in the European Union, which makes up 42% of the Millennium’s supply chain, with Aero Vodochody, OGMA Portugal, Thales Group, and BAE Systems all directly involved.
