Brazilian manufacturer Embraer has taken another important step in the international expansion of the military transport aircraft KC-390 Millennium officially presenting the aircraft to the Polish company Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 SA, in the city of Bydgoszcz, Poland.
The event, held this Friday (13), marks the first concrete step of strategic cooperation between the two companies and strengthens Embraer’s presence in the European aerospace and defense industry. The initiative continues the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 2 December 2025 in Warsaw, which established the basis for deeper industrial and technological collaboration.
Partnership for maintenance and support of the KC-390 in Europe
The cooperation between Embraer and WZL-2 is focused on establishing a comprehensive maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capability of the KC-390 Millennium in Poland.
This center will allow to increase the operational availability of the aircraft and at the same time strengthen the local defense industry through the transfer of knowledge and the development of technical skills.
According to Douglas Lobo, vice president of Customer Support and Aftermarket Sales at Embraer Services & Support, the partnership represents a strategic step to strengthen industrial cooperation.
“This event brings to life Embraer and WZL-2’s shared vision of innovation and collaboration in the defense industry. By working closely with Polish industry, we want to build strong cooperation that generates long-term value for the country and contributes to the European defense community,” he said.
The KC-390 already operates in three air forces
The KC-390 Millennium entered service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019. It subsequently also began operations with the Portuguese Air Force in 2023 and with the Hungarian Air Force in 2024.
The in-service fleet has demonstrated high levels of performance, with a mission readiness rate of 93% and a mission completion rate greater than 99%, demonstrating reliability and operational efficiency.
High performance and multiple missions
The C-390 is one of the most modern medium military transport aircraft in the world. The aircraft can carry up to 26 tons of cargo, surpassing other aircraft in the same category, and can operate at speeds of up to 470 knots.
Designed for high complexity missions, the KC-390 can perform a wide range of operations, including:
- transport of troops and cargo
- airdrop of equipment
- medical evacuation
- search and rescue
- fighting fires
- humanitarian missions
The aircraft can also operate on unpaved or temporary runways, such as dirt and gravel.
In the KC-390 version, equipped for in-flight refueling, the aircraft can operate both as a tanker and as a fuel receiver, including receiving fuel from another KC-390 via pods installed under the wings.
With the new industrial cooperation in Poland, Embraer strengthens its strategy to consolidate the KC-390 Millennium as one of the leading military transport and air-to-air refueling platforms in the international market.
Source and images: Embraer. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
