Embraer has delivered the first C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft to the Uzbekistan Air Force, making Uzbekistan the first operator of the type in Central Asia. The handover took place on 25 September 2026 at Embraer’s facility in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil, in a ceremony attended by Uzbekistan Air Force Commander Major General Akhmad Jamolovich Burkhonov and Olimkhon Bakiyevich Rustamov, director of the state institution O‘ztextreyd.

The delivery follows a contract signed in late 2024 that includes training, support and spare parts. Embraer did not state how many aircraft Uzbekistan ordered. The first C-390 is intended to strengthen the country’s air mobility capabilities as it modernises its air force.

The C-390 is a medium transport aircraft designed for cargo and troop transport, personnel and equipment airdrops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and humanitarian operations. It can operate from temporary or unpaved runways and, with a removable air-to-air refuelling kit, can serve as either a tanker or a receiver. Embraer lists a maximum payload of 26 tonnes and a flight speed of 470 knots.

Burkhonov said the aircraft’s range of roles would help the Uzbekistan Air Force carry out missions with greater readiness and efficiency. Embraer Defense & Security President and CEO Bosco da Costa Junior said the company would support Uzbekistan as it introduces the aircraft into service.

Uzbekistan joins a widening group of C-390 customers. According to Embraer, the aircraft has also been selected by Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, South Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Slovakia, Colombia and Lithuania.