How One Aircraft's Arrival In Europe Preceded A String Of NATO Orders

The Portuguese Air Force’s first KC-390 Millennium delivered for European operations became a stepping stone to broader NATO orders. Aircraft 26901 arrived in Portugal in October 2023 as the first KC-390 in service outside Brazil and the first delivered to a European operator. The aircraft, with Portuguese military registration 26901 and manufacturer serial number 39000011, entered service at Beja Air Base on the Beja Airport grounds. The deal that set the stage dates to 2019, when Portugal signed an agreement worth about €827 million for five aircraft, a flight simulator, and support aimed at replacing aging Lockheed C-130 Hercules capabilities with NATO-interoperable features. By end-2025, Embraer says 11 countries had selected the KC-390.