The Hungarian Air Force Received Its First KC-390 Multi-Mission Aircraft
On 5 September, the Hungarian Defence Forces took delivery of the first of two KC-390 Millennium military transport aircraft ordered from Brazilian aviation company Embraer in 2020 as part of the ‘Zrínyi 2026’ modernization program. The arrival of this advanced aircraft, which represents a significant milestone for the Hungarian Air Force (HAF), was celebrated at a ceremony held at the HDF 101st Aviation Squadron airbase in Kecskemét in the center of the country.
The event was attended by Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security; Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Minister of Defence of Hungary; General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of Staff of the HDF; Susan Kleebank, Brazilian Ambassador to Hungary; Dr. Zsolt Kutnyánszky, State Secretary for Defence Policy, Force Development and Defence Industry at the Ministry of Defence; and Colonel Gergely Gróf, Commander of the HDF 101st Aviation Wing.

Addressing the participants on the occasion of the ceremony, Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that they have been waiting for the arrival of the KC-390 Millennium aircraft for a long time, adding:
“The arrival of this aircraft represents a real milestone for the Hungarian Air Force as it will give the Hungarian Defence Forces unprecedented capabilities in military air transport. It is in Hungary’s security interest to have strong, well-equipped, modern defense forces, and we are working on that. Embraer is an excellent partner in this.”
Continuing his speech, the Minister of Defence thanked the Hungarian government’s commissioned experts, the Ministry of Defence, and the HDF General Staff for their excellent work. He also reiterated his commitment to do everything in their power to have strong, stable, and reliable military equipment, which he has expressed at every opportunity.
The K/C-390 Millennium is a medium-sized tactical military transport aircraft that can perform a wide range of military and civilian missions, including humanitarian assistance, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, cargo and troop transport, and airborne and aerial refueling. The aircraft, is also operated by Brazil, Portugal, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and South Korea, is equipped with avionics capable of secure, encrypted navigation and communication, as well as a state-of-the-art self-protection system in accordance with NATO standards, consisting of Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS), Radar Warning System (RWS) and Laser Warning System (LWS). It also comprises a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) system, which uses laser beams to overwhelm and confuse the seekers of approaching infrared-homing air defense missiles.

In addition to all the capabilities mentioned above, the Hungarian KC-390s will be the first aircraft in the world to be equipped with a roll-on/roll-off Intensive Care Unit. They will be even better equipped to perform humanitarian missions and Medical Evacuation Missions.

According to Embraer Defense & Security’s delivery schedule, the Hungarian defense forces expect to receive the second and last aircraft of the contract in 2025. Although Hungary has not yet announced where the KC/C-390s will be deployed, they are believed to serve in the 59th Teve transport squadron based at Dezső Szentgyörgyi Air Base. This fleet, which used 11 Antonov An-26 transport aircraft from 1974 to 2020, currently has only two A319 passenger transport aircraft leased from Airbus. With these new aircraft, the Hungarian Air Force will fill the gap left by the 11 An-26s that have been withdrawn from service with more advanced aircraft while taking another significant step towards military modernization.