Hungary has taken delivery its first Embraer C-390 tactical transport, becoming the second European NATO nation to field the Brazilian-built type.
“The aircraft fully meets the requirements of the Hungarian defence forces, being able to perform different types of military and civilian missions,” the airframer says. The twinjet can transport personnel or up to 26t of cargo, perform paratrooper and precision cargo airdrops, and conduct search and rescue tasks, it says.
Formally received on 5 September, the Hungarian air force’s first of two C-390s is the first example of the type to have a roll-on/roll-off intensive care unit, which Embraer says makes it “even better equipped to perform humanitarian and medical evacuation missions”.
“The arrival of this aircraft represents a real milestone for the Hungarian air force as it will give the Hungarian defence forces unprecedented capabilities in military air transport,” says defence minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky. “It is in Hungary’s security interest to have strong, well-equipped, modern defence forces,” he adds.
With the service registration 610, the newly-delivered aircraft had completed its first flight in Brazil in February 2024.
Embraer Defense & Security chief executive Bosco da Costa Junior says the C/KC-390 “delivers an unbeatable combination of performance, flexibility and reduced life cycle costs”, and describes it as “the airlifter of choice in Europe”.
The Portuguese air force earlier this year received its second of five on-order C-390s, with fellow NATO members the Netherlands to also acquire five and the Czech Republic planning to buy two. Neutral Austria also has ordered four.
Launch user the Brazilian air force has so far received six KC-390 tanker/transports, from an eventual total of 19.
