The Hellenic Ministry of National Defense signed a contract on November 2, 2026, to acquire three KC-390 Millennium aircraft with options for an additional three, produced by Embraer through a government-to-government agreement between Greece and Portugal. Under the agreement, the Hellenic Air Force will receive its first KC-390 Millennium in 2027, enhancing its airlift and air-to-air refueling capabilities while strengthening interoperability with NATO and allied forces, with Greece also benefiting from European synergies in training, support, and logistics.
Greece becomes the seventh European nation to select the aircraft, joining Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic and Sweden. Beyond Europe, the KC-390 Millennium has also been acquired by the air forces of Brazil, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates and Colombia. The aircraft can carry more payload (26 tons) than other medium-sized military transport aircraft, flying faster (470 knots) and farther, and can perform cargo and troop transport, equipment and personnel airdrops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian missions, operating from temporary or unpaved runways. When configured with quick-installation air-to-air refueling equipment, it can operate both as a tanker and as a receiver.