Deal covers three Embraer aircraft, with an option for three more
Greece has finalized an agreement to acquire three KC-390 Millennium aircraft, with an option to purchase three more. Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and Brazilian manufacturer Embraer announced the deal, with the first delivery scheduled for next year.
Dendias disclosed the agreement during a visit by his Portuguese counterpart, Nuno Melo. The announcement follows a reported June approval by a Greek parliamentary committee for the purchase and follow-on support of three aircraft, in a program valued at roughly €600 million.
One aircraft for transport and aerial refueling
For the Hellenic Air Force, the KC-390 represents two firsts: a jet-powered transport aircraft and an aerial refueling tanker. The Millennium can refuel Greek fighter jets using a hose-and-drogue system, a capability Dendias called a “huge advantage.”
Athens plans to acquire the aircraft through a government-to-government agreement with Portugal, a plan Dendias confirmed in July. Portugal increased its own Millennium order to six aircraft last year and announced options for ten more that could be shared with other NATO members.
Lisbon will help Greece prepare to operate its future fleet, including through training and operational support. Embraer welcomed the decision, saying it reflected the confidence leading NATO members place in the KC-390.
Replacing an aging C-130H fleet
Greece plans to replace its aging fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130H aircraft with the Millennium. The KC-390 can carry cargo as well as conduct aerial refueling missions, and often competes with the newer C-130J.
The deal makes Greece Embraer’s seventh European customer. It is also the third new KC-390 customer announced this year, following agreements with Colombia and the United Arab Emirates.
Dendias also invoked the longstanding tensions between Greece and Turkey, arguing that Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus “could not have happened” if the Hellenic Air Force had possessed a tanker capable of refueling its fighter jets.
Embraer plans to increase C-390 production, targeting an annual output of ten aircraft by the end of the decade. The company also hopes to enter the U.S. market and has proposed establishing a dedicated final-assembly line in the country.
