On 4 May, the United Arab Emirates signed a contract for the acquisition of 10 C-390 tactical transport aircraft from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer, with an option for a further 10 units, destined for the Abu Dhabi Air Force.

As part of the agreement - the value of which has not been disclosed - Embraer signed a strategic partnership with Emirati aerospace and defence company Generation Holding 5, aimed at developing full Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and after-sales support capabilities for the aircraft in the UAE and - a detail worth noting, as stated in the press release - across the Middle East.

The partnership also includes industrial integration and supply chain opportunities related to the C-390 MILLENNIUM, as well as training programmes for technical, maintenance, and operational personnel, in support of knowledge transfer and skills development in the Emirates.

The aircraft was selected for a range of roles and missions: troop and cargo transport, medical evacuation, humanitarian assistance, airdrop, and operations from unprepared runways.

This is the largest single-country order ever placed for the C-390, as well as the first contract signed by a Middle Eastern state: the aircraft is currently in service with the air forces of Brazil (since 2019), Portugal (2023), and Hungary (2024), and has been selected by 8 further countries: Austria, South Korea, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, and Uzbekistan (the latter referred to as an "unidentified operator" until February 2026).

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