Greece Joins the KC-390 Club as Embraer Strengthens Its European Footprint

By Garth Calitz

Greece has ordered three aircraft, with options for another three, as the Brazilian manufacturer continues to make inroads into a market traditionally dominated by established military transport manufacturers.

Embraer's KC-390 Millennium is continuing its impressive advance into the European military aviation market, with Greece becoming the latest NATO member to select the Brazilian-built military transport aircraft. The Hellenic Ministry of National Defence signed an agreement on 2 November 2026 to acquire three KC-390 Millennium aircraft, with options for a further three. The procurement is being conducted through a government-to-government agreement between Greece and Portugal, adding another significant endorsement to Embraer's increasingly successful European campaign. The first aircraft is expected to be delivered to the Hellenic Air Force in 2027.

The acquisition represents a significant advancement in modernising Greece's military airlift capabilities. It offers a versatile platform for transporting troops, equipment, and cargo, while also conducting medical evacuations, humanitarian operations, search and rescue missions, and aerial refuelling. It will also strengthen interoperability with NATO allies, an increasingly important consideration as European defence forces place greater emphasis on joint operations, logistical flexibility and the ability to move military assets rapidly across the continent.

Greece becomes the seventh European nation to select the KC-390 Millennium, joining Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic and Sweden. The growing European customer base is particularly significant for Embraer. Military aircraft procurement is rarely just about purchasing an aircraft. Training, maintenance, logistics, spare parts availability and long-term operational support all play an equally important role. Having an established network of neighbouring operators offers considerable advantages, particularly for smaller air forces.

Beyond Europe, the KC-390 has also been selected by Brazil, South Korea, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates and Colombia, giving the programme an increasingly international footprint. Each additional customer reinforces the notion that the KC-390 is not merely an alternative to established military transports, but rather a serious contender in its own right.

Designed from the outset as a 21st-century military transport aircraft, the KC-390 Millennium offers a combination of speed, payload and operational flexibility that has attracted considerable attention.

Powered by two IAE V2500 turbofan engines, the aircraft has a maximum payload capacity of 26 tonnes and a maximum cruising speed of approximately 470 knots. This gives it a significant performance advantage over traditional turboprop military transports in terms of speed, while retaining the ability to undertake demanding tactical missions.

Its versatility is central to its appeal. The KC-390 can perform troop and cargo transportation, personnel and equipment airdrops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and humanitarian assistance missions. It is also designed to operate from temporary and unpaved runways, allowing it to access locations where conventional infrastructure may be limited or unavailable.

Another important capability is aerial refuelling. With its quick-installation air-to-air refuelling equipment, the aircraft can operate as both a tanker and a receiver, providing additional flexibility for air forces operating a variety of aircraft types. Its modern digital architecture, advanced communications and integrated mission systems were also designed with interoperability in mind, making it particularly suitable for NATO and coalition operations.

The KC-390's growing success is beginning to challenge the traditional military transport market, particularly the dominance of the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules. The Hercules remains one of the most successful and widely operated military transport aircraft ever built, with an enormous global support network and decades of operational experience behind it. However, the KC-390 offers a compelling alternative for countries seeking a modern transport platform with higher cruising speeds, substantial payload capacity and contemporary mission systems.

The two aircraft are not necessarily interchangeable across every mission profile, and the C-130 retains advantages in certain specialised tactical environments. Nevertheless, Embraer's expanding order book suggests that procurement authorities are increasingly prepared to look beyond the traditional suppliers.

The KC-390 presents Greece with an opportunity to acquire a modern platform while benefiting from European cooperation in training, support, and logistics. The Greek acquisition is another important milestone for Embraer and reinforces the KC-390's position as one of the most successful new military transport programmes to emerge in recent years.

With seven European nations now committed to the aircraft, the programme is developing the regional operating community needed to sustain long-term growth. That, in turn, could make the KC-390 an even more attractive proposition for other European air forces considering future transport fleet replacements.

For Embraer, the strategy appears to be working rather well. The company has taken a relatively new aircraft into a market dominated by established manufacturers and is steadily building an international customer base. The Hercules may still have plenty of life left in it, but Embraer's Millennium is making sure that the old workhorse no longer has the transport market entirely to itself.