Embraer unveils Uzbekistan’s first C-390 military cargo plane
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has unveiled Uzbekistan’s first C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, advancing its first sale of the type to Central Asia. Behind the new air force colours lies a two-aircraft purchase whose trail stretches back more than two years.
Embraer has on Friday published photographs showing the aircraft with Uzbekistan’s flag and «UZ AIR FORCE» signs and roundel. Its announcement confirms the unveiling but does not establish that the jet has been delivered or entered service.
Embraer announced a contract for two C-390s on 27 December 2024, withholding the customer’s identity. The package included training, support and spare parts, according to contemporary reporting.
Brazilian reporting in May 2024 linked Uzbekistan to an export-credit insurance approval by Cofig, the government’s export financing and guarantee committee. Air Data News subsequently traced the purchase to an April 2024 insurance request covering two aircraft with financing from Brazil’s development bank, BNDES.
Read more: Uzbekistan to acquire Embraer C-390 Millennium transport aircraft
A Brazilian airframe for an Uzbek plane
Uzbekistan intends to use the aircraft primarily for transport and humanitarian missions, Embraer said when it identified the country as its previously unnamed customer at the Singapore Airshow in February.
Embraer’s first Uzbek aircraft has its own unusual history. Brazilian aviation publication Tecnologia & Defesa reports that airframe 39000019 was originally allocated to Brazil’s air force before being redirected to Uzbekistan during production.
For Uzbekistan, the purchase continues a gradual diversification of its transport fleet. The country already operates four Airbus C295 turboprops alongside the Soviet-designed Antonov and Ilyushin transports, according to Air Data News.
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What the C-390 can carry and who is buying it
The C-390 is a medium-sized military transport jet capable of carrying up to 26 tonnes of cargo and flying at 470 knots, about 870km/h, according to Embraer’s specifications. Its cabin can accommodate up to 80 personnel or 64 paratroopers. Other configurations can carry vehicles, cargo pallets or medical evacuation equipment.
Designed to use semi-prepared and damaged runways, it can support relief deliveries, evacuations and operations where airport infrastructure is limited. The aircraft can also perform aerial refuelling when equipped in the KC-390 configuration.
The current C-390 operators are Brazil, Portugal and Hungary. The wider customer base includes South Korea and the Czech Republic, while the Netherlands and Austria placed a joint order for nine aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2027. In May 2026, the UAE expanded the programme’s reach with an order for 10 aircraft and options for another 10.
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