In a major move to reinforce its defence readiness and interoperability within NATO, Lithuania has selected the Embraer C-390 Millennium as its next-generation military transport aircraft. The decision, announced by the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania, initiates the acquisition process for three C-390s and reflects the country’s commitment to strengthening its strategic airlift capacity.
“We have carefully studied the various types of military transport aircraft available on the market, and our assessment has clearly shown that the C-390 Millennium is the most suitable platform to meet our national military operational requirements,” said Loreta Maskaliovienė, Vice Minister of National Defence. “Therefore, Lithuania has chosen Embraer Company for further negotiations and expects to finalise the acquisition contract in the coming months.”
This agreement includes industrial cooperation provisions that will bring opportunities for MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) capabilities, parts co-production, and partnerships with research and knowledge institutes—supporting the growth of Lithuania’s defence sector.
Bosco Da Costa Junior, President & CEO of Embraer Defence & Security, welcomed the selection: “We are honored to have been selected by the Lithuanian authorities. This reflects Embraer’s commitment to strengthening defense capabilities in Europe. The C-390, with its versatility, performance, and NATO interoperability, is the ideal platform to meet demanding mission requirements.”
Designed for challenging environments, the C-390 Millennium delivers superior speed (470 knots), payload capacity (26 tons), and mission flexibility, making it a standout in the medium military airlift category. It can perform a wide range of operations, from cargo and troop transport to aerial refuelling, medical evacuation, firefighting, search and rescue, and humanitarian aid missions—even from unpaved or semi-prepared airstrips.
Lithuania now joins a growing coalition of European and NATO nations—including Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Slovakia—that have selected the C-390 to modernise their airlift fleets.
Since its entry into service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019, and more recently with Portugal (2023) and Hungary (2024), the C-390 Millennium has achieved an impressive 93% mission capability rate and over 99% mission completion rate, confirming its operational reliability and performance.
With this acquisition, Lithuania strengthens its position as a capable and interoperable NATO partner, while gaining access to a broad European ecosystem of support and training for the C-390 platform.
SOURCE AND IMAGE: EMBRAER
