Greece’s Ministry of National Defense has signed a contract to buy three Embraer KC-390 Millennium military transport aircraft, with options for three more, Embraer said in a press release on November 2.

According to the Brazilian plane maker company, Greece and Portugal made the deal through a government-to-government agreement. The release said the Hellenic Air Force will receive its first aircraft in 2027.

Embraer said the aircraft will strengthen the air force’s airlift and air-to-air refuelling capabilities and improve interoperability with NATO and allied forces. It added that Greece will benefit from European cooperation in training, support, and logistics.

Bosco Da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, said the choice reflects the trust that leading NATO members place in the aircraft. He described the KC-390 as “an ideal choice for nations seeking to enhance their operational capabilities.”

Embraer said Greece is the seventh European nation to select the aircraft, after Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Sweden. Outside Europe, the air forces of Brazil, South Korea, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Colombia have also acquired it.

According to Embraer, the KC-390 can carry a 26-ton payload and fly at 470 knots. It can handle cargo and troop transport, airdrops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian missions and operate from temporary or unpaved runways. With air-to-air refuelling equipment fitted, it can serve as both tanker and receiver.

Source: PR