Czech defence ministry negotiating to buy Embraer C-390 aircraft

The Czech Republic said on Tuesday it had started talks with Brazil's Embraer on the possible acquisition of two C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft. It follows the path of neighbouring Austria which said last month it had tapped the C-390 Millennium to replace its fleet.

The Czech Republic said on Tuesday it had started talks with Brazil's Embraer on the possible acquisition of two C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft.

It follows the path of neighbouring Austria which said last month it had tapped the C-390 Millennium to replace its fleet. The Czech Defence Ministry said it wanted to negotiate the shortest possible delivery time for the aircraft, which it noted could be used in evacuation scenarios from crisis areas.

The Czechs currently do not own this type of aircraft for medium and long haul flights, and Embraer had been long courting the country for an order as its defence unit aims for a greater presence abroad. "The C-390 Millennium is drawing the attention of several nations around the world," Bosco da Costa Junior, chief executive of Embraer Defense & Security, said in a statement, without providing further details.

He had told Reuters last month that the company was in the "final stages" of talks with multiple countries to place orders for the aircraft. Following the announcement, the Czech Republic became the fourth NATO country in Europe to tap the C-390 for its fleet, following Portugal, Hungary and the Netherlands.

Brazil's defence forces already deploy the plane, while Austria has also selected it to replace its fleet of Lockheed Martin's Hercules C-130s. India, Sweden and South Korea are seen as other potential buyers. The Czech Republic has been ramping up defence spending as it aims to reach a 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) commitment as a NATO member by next year.