Construction of first Millennium for Netherlands begins

A file photo of a KC/C-390 airlifter. The Netherlands is acquiring five such aircraft to be delivered from 2027 to 2029. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

Embraer has begun building the first KC/C-390 Millennium airlifter for the Netherlands, the Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 11 November.

The Brazilian manufacturer launched the manufacture of the first of five tanker transports for the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) at its Gavião Peixoto production facility, north of São Paulo, some 16 months after the Netherlands signed a joint procurement contract for nine aircraft alongside Austria at the Farnborough Airshow 2024 (the Netherlands later added options for a further seven aircraft that can be acquired by allied countries on a government-to-government basis). Sweden joined this arrangement in October, adding an additional four aircraft with the option for a further seven for itself or allied European countries.

“Embraer started [on 10 November] with the construction of the first C-390 military transport aircraft for the Netherlands. This marks the next step in an international co-operation project,” the Dutch MoD said, noting that it is the lead country in the trilateral arrangement with Austria and Sweden.

“The co-operation offers the countries economies of scale in terms of training, maintenance, and conservation. This reduces the operational costs per aircraft. All C-390s will also have the same configuration. This makes it easier to operate together and exchange staff,” the MoD said. The Millennium is designated C-390 in its transport guise and as KC-390 in its tanker transport guise when it has its wingtip tanking pods installed.

With the airframe itself taking approximately eight months to build, it takes 24 months to assemble the aircraft from start to finish.