"We have witnessed the signing of the largest international contract for C-390 Millennium aircraft, involving the purchase of 10 aircraft with additional options, in a step that enhances the readiness of our air forces with advanced, multi-mission operational capabilities," UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed AlNahyan wrote in a translated X post.
Tawazun Council and Embraer sign for 10 C-390 Millennium aircraft
The Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement, the United Arab Emirates’ contracting authority, has signed a contract with Brazilian firm Embraer to buy 10 C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft, with an option to acquire up to 10 more, Embraer announced. The agreement was formalized at the "Make It In The Emirates" exposition in Abu Dhabi.
C-390 Millennium: stated roles and the aircraft’s first entry into the Middle East
Embraer described the C-390 Millennium as a multi-mission transport platform able to perform military transport, humanitarian and airdrop operations, and medical evacuation. The company and the UAE noted that this contract marks the aircraft’s first confirmed entry into the Middle East.
Embraer’s public commitments and partnership language
Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer Defense and Security, said the C-390 Millennium will provide the Emirati Air Force and Air Defense with "the versatility and performance needed to carry out a wide range of missions anytime, anywhere, for decades to come." He added, "Embraer is fully committed to delivering the C-390 capability and providing world-class support to UAE, with the objective of building a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership."
The formal contract document specifies that maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services and after-sales support for the C-390 will "be developed in collaboration with" an Emirati firm, according to Embraer’s statement.
Industrial tie-up: Embraer and Generation 5 Holding
In a separate announcement, Embraer said it signed "an exclusive strategic partnership agreement" with Emirati defense and technology firm Generation 5 Holding to "cover a comprehensive scope of the C‑390 Millennium multi-mission military transport aircraft in the UAE." Under that agreement, the two companies aim "to develop comprehensive Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities and after-sales support for the aircraft in the UAE and the Middle East, focused on ensuring mission readiness, rapid response, and long-term fleet sustainability for regional operators," the statement reads.
Embraer previously told media that it was considering regional industrial options for the C-390. As Breaking Defense reported, Bosco da Costa Junior said in a November press conference that Embraer had been in talks to expand into the UAE with a C-390 "completion center" serving the country and the greater region — noting that the company had dropped earlier plans to open such a center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
What this means for the Emirati Air Force, Embraer, and Generation 5 Holding
- Emirati Air Force and Air Defense: The purchase provides a new multi-mission airlift type, with stated capabilities for transport, airdrop, humanitarian response and medical evacuation, and includes a pathway for local MRO and after-sales support collaboration.
- Embraer Defense and Security: The company has committed to deliver capability and long-term support while pursuing deeper industrial ties in the UAE and the region, including an exclusive partnership with Generation 5 Holding.
- Generation 5 Holding: The firm is named as Embraer's exclusive strategic partner in the UAE for C-390 MRO and after-sales work, positioning it as the local industrial collaborator for fleet sustainment and rapid-response maintenance.
The contract enshrines three concrete elements: an initial 10-aircraft buy with an option for up to 10 more; the formal introduction of the C-390 into the Middle East; and a stated plan to develop MRO and after-sales support in collaboration with Emirati industry, including through an exclusive tie with Generation 5 Holding. The November comment from Embraer’s chief that the company had moved discussions to the UAE — and had dropped earlier plans for a Saudi Arabia completion center — underlines that the industrial footprint and where final assembly or completion work will occur are central to the agreement as much as the aircraft themselves.
Whether Embraer will establish the completion center in the UAE as previously discussed, how quickly MRO capabilities will be brought online, and whether the UAE will exercise the option for up to 10 additional aircraft are the immediate, concrete next items embedded in the deal.
Original story: Breaking Defense — UAE to get 10 C-390 aircraft, up to 10 more in the future
