On September 25, Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer officially delivered the first new-generation C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft to the Uzbek Air Force. The ceremony took place at the company's production facility in Gaviao Peixoto. Uzbekistan became the first Central Asian country to accept this aircraft type into service, Daryo.uz reported.
The contract, signed at the end of 2024, covers not only the delivery of the aircraft but also crew training, technical support, and spare parts. This means that this is not a single aircraft acquisition, but the creation of a fully operational capability.
The C-390 Millennium is capable of transporting up to 26 tons of cargo and personnel, performing airborne assaults, medical evacuations, search and rescue, humanitarian operations, and firefighting. The aircraft can operate on temporary and unpaved runways. With the appropriate equipment, it can also perform aerial refueling functions.
For Uzbekistan, this decision has implications far beyond simply upgrading its transport aviation. A modern military transport aircraft increases the army's mobility, enables the faster transfer of units, equipment, and cargo, and expands its response capabilities to emergencies and natural disasters.
It is particularly important that the delivery of the C-390 fits into the larger reform process of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan. A modern army today is defined not only by the number of weapons but also by the ability to quickly move forces, provide them with logistics, and operate in various scenarios. In this regard, the C-390 could become one element in Uzbekistan's transition to a more mobile and technologically advanced armed force.
The choice of this platform also enhances the international interoperability of Uzbekistan's military aviation. The C-390 has already been selected by a number of countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, including South Korea, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the UAE, and others.
Thus, the receipt of the first C-390 Millennium can be seen as a significant milestone in the modernization of the Uzbek Air Force and one of the practical steps in reforming the army—from a predominantly traditional structure to a more mobile, multifunctional, and technologically advanced armed force.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
September 29, 2026