Greece Secures KC-390 Fleet Deal with Embraer

Greece has finalized a deal for a new fleet of up to six KC-390 Millennium aircraft, with a first delivery scheduled for next year, Greek Defense Minister Nikoloas Dendias and Brazilian manufacturer Embraer announced.

The contract: three firm aircraft, options for three more, and budget background

The formalized agreement covers three KC-390 Millennium aircraft with options for three additional airlifters. The procurement follows a June report that a Greek parliament committee had approved the buy and follow-on support for three Millennium aircraft with an expected budget of roughly €600 million ($672 million). Greece plans to execute the purchase through a government-to-government arrangement with Portugal, a pathway that Athens confirmed in July.

Operational capability: a jet transport and an aerial refueling tanker for the Hellenic Air Force

Greek Defense Minister Nikoloas Dendias said the purchase “marks two firsts” for the Hellenic Air Force: the acquisition of a “jet transport aircraft,” and a refueling tanker. The Millennium can refuel Greek fighter jets using a hose-and-drogue system, which Dendias called a “huge advantage.” Dendias framed the acquisition’s significance in stark terms, asserting that the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 “could not have happened” if the Hellenic Air Force had possessed a tanker aircraft capable of refueling its fighters.

Portugal’s role and the government-to-government pathway

Portugal will support Greece in operating the forthcoming KC-390 fleet, including training and operational assistance, Dendias said. Lisbon itself increased its Millennium order to six aircraft last year and announced options for an additional ten aircraft that could be shared among other NATO members; those arrangements help explain how Portugal is positioned to facilitate Greece’s introduction of the type. The transaction was announced during a visit by Portuguese Minister of National Defense Nuno Melo.

Embraer’s market position and production plans

Embraer described Greece’s decision as an endorsement from allied operators. “We are honored by Greece’s decision to acquire the KC-390 Millennium. This choice underscores the trust and confidence that leading NATO members place in our aircraft,” said Bosco Da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer’s defense unit, in a company press release. The KC-390 sale marks the seventh European customer for Embraer and is the third customer announced this year, following Colombia and the United Arab Emirates. Embraer said it plans to ramp C-390 production amid higher global demand, targeting an annual output of 10 aircraft by the end of the decade. The company has also pursued the U.S. market, offering a dedicated American final assembly line as part of that outreach.

What this means for the Hellenic Air Force, Portugal, and Embraer

• Hellenic Air Force: The KC-390 will represent the service’s first jet transport and its first dedicated aerial refueling tanker capability, enabling fighter refueling via a hose-and-drogue system and offering a replacement pathway for aging Lockheed Martin C-130H fleets. The aircraft also adds cargo-transport capability.
• Portugal: Lisbon serves as the procurement partner and practical facilitator—providing training and operational help—and its own expanded fleet and optioned quantities create a framework for sharing aircraft among NATO partners.
• Embraer: The Greek order strengthens Embraer’s foothold among NATO customers and supports the company’s stated plan to raise KC-390 output toward an annual rate of 10 aircraft by decade’s end; it also reinforces Embraer’s marketing case for a U.S. assembly presence as part of broader export efforts.

The finalized agreement closes a procurement chapter that began with parliamentary approval earlier this year and sets a tight timeline: three aircraft contracted now, options for three more, and a first delivery due next year. Key near-term signals to watch within the record provided are whether Athens will exercise the remaining options and how Embraer’s production ramp—targeting 10 aircraft annually by the end of the decade—aligns with promised delivery timing and regional training support from Portugal.

Original reporting: https://breakingdefense.com/2026/11/greece-inks-deal-for-kc-390-fleet/