- Embraer said South Korea’s first C-390 Millennium transport aircraft has reached final assembly and will proceed to production flights ahead of system integration for ROKAF requirements.
- The milestone advances South Korea’s LTA-II program and marks Embraer’s first delivery of the C-390 to an Asian customer.
On February 3, 2026, Brazilian aerospace company Embraer announced at the Singapore Airshow that the first C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force has reached the final stage of assembly, marking a key milestone in Seoul’s Large Transport Aircraft II (LTA-II) acquisition program.
According to the company, the aircraft will now move into production flight activities before the integration of systems tailored to South Korean requirements. These steps precede final delivery and entry into service with the ROKAF.
The announcement confirms steady progress following South Korea’s formal selection of the C-390 Millennium, making the country Embraer’s first operator of the type in Asia.
As noted by Embraer, the milestone reflects both production maturity and cooperation with South Korean defense institutions and suppliers. Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, said the progress demonstrates the strength of the partnership with South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the ROKAF, as well as the integration of Korean industry into Embraer’s global supply chain.
The C-390 Millennium was selected under the LTA-II requirement to replace older transport aircraft in South Korean service and expand airlift capacity. Designed as a medium-class military transport, the aircraft is capable of carrying payloads of up to 26 tons and operating at speeds of up to 470 knots. Embraer states that the platform offers longer range and higher cruise speed than other aircraft in its category.
The aircraft is designed for multi-mission use, including cargo and troop transport, airdrop of equipment and personnel, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian assistance. It is also capable of operating from unpaved or semi-prepared runways, a factor relevant to regional contingency and disaster-response operations. When equipped with air-to-air refueling hardware, designated as the KC-390, the aircraft can function as both a tanker and a receiver.
Embraer has emphasized that the C-390 is fully interoperable within NATO standards and compatible with Agile Combat Employment concepts, which prioritize dispersed operations and rapid redeployment. These characteristics align with South Korea’s increasing focus on flexible air mobility to support joint and combined operations across the peninsula and beyond.
South Korea joins a growing list of C-390 operators and customers that already includes Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Uzbekistan. Embraer has positioned the aircraft as a replacement option for aging fleets of C-130-class transports, particularly for air forces seeking higher payload capacity without moving to heavier strategic airlifters.
The company also highlighted industrial cooperation as part of the South Korean program. Embraer said Korean suppliers are being integrated into the C-390 production ecosystem, supporting both domestic sustainment needs and global manufacturing as output scales to meet international demand.