Lithuania has decided to postpone the acquisition of new military transport aircraft and instead focus on modernizing its C-27J Spartan fleet, with the goal of keeping them operational at least until 2036.
The decision was made on 27 January 2026 during a meeting of the National Defense Council and cancels plans announced in 2025 to buy three C-390 Millennium– aircraft from Embraer.
According to Lithuanian authorities, the change is driven by pragmatic factors, above all budget pressure and a reprioritization of strategic goals. The government’s immediate focus is on strengthening air defenses, establishing a new army division and expanding the military infrastructure – areas considered critical to deterring NATOs eastern flank.
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The acquisition of three C-390 was estimated at between 700 and 800 million euros, a level considered high for the defense budget of a small Baltic country. With the postponement, these funds are redirected to projects deemed more urgent. In contrast, a major modernization of the C-27J fleet, valued at around 150 million euros, would allow the life of the current aircraft to be extended by more than a decade.
Lithuania C-27J Spartan-aircraft, in service since 2006–2009, have suffered from increasing maintenance costs, in part due to reduced availability of spare parts. Military officials admit the modernization will not eliminate the model’s structural problems, but say the move could prevent an airlift capacity gap until early next decade.
If a modernization agreement is signed with Leonardo, any renewed negotiations with Embraer for the purchase of the C-390 will only take place after 2030, in a different financial and strategic situation. A future C-390 purchase could amount to around 750 million euros – funds currently diverted to infrastructure development and expansion of the integrated air defense system.
The process has also been marked by internal controversies. The non-competitive selection of Embraer’s offer raised questions and led to an investigation by Lithuania’s anti-corruption authorities. However, the public prosecutor’s office has stated that the information collected so far does not indicate any violation of the law.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced in June 2025 its intention to acquire three C-390 Millennium after evaluating options such as the Airbus C-295MW and the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules. To date, Embraer has delivered 14 C-390s to Brazil, Portugal and Hungary, which together have accumulated around 20,000 flight hours, with a total order backlog of 46 aircraft.
Lithuanian authorities indicate that the issue of definitive replacement of the C-27J fleet is likely to return to the agenda after 2030, when the country is expected to have greater financial room for maneuver and a more stable strategic environment for a long-term decision.
Source and images: Defence Industry EU | Embraer | Wikimedia. This content has been created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editors.
