Uzbekistan has acquired Embraer C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, becoming the first Central Asian nation to operate the advanced Brazilian platform and signaling continued diversification of the country's defense partnerships under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's reform agenda.
The announcement, revealed at the Singapore Airshow on February 3, confirms Uzbekistan as the customer for an order previously identified only as "undisclosed." European Security & Defence reported that the Uzbek Air Force plans to deploy the aircraft for transport and humanitarian missions, marking a significant leap in regional military logistics capabilities.
"We are honored by the choice of this leading Central Asia Air Force and will work in close coordination," said Bosco da Costa Junior, CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, the Brazilian manufacturer.
The C-390 Millennium, capable of carrying 26 tons of cargo at a cruising speed of 470 knots, offers capabilities that include troop transport, equipment airdrop, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian operations. The aircraft can operate from unprepared runways—a crucial feature for Uzbekistan's varied terrain and potential deployment across Central Asia. An aerial refueling variant, the KC-390, exists but it remains unclear whether Uzbekistan selected this configuration.
In Central Asia's heartland, ancient Silk Road cities navigate modern challenges of water, borders, and development. Uzbekistan's acquisition reflects Mirziyoyev's broader defense modernization strategy, which has increasingly looked beyond traditional Russian suppliers since he came to power in 2016. The country has pursued military cooperation with Turkey, the United States, and now Brazil, while maintaining relationships with Moscow.
The C-390 already serves operators including Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, South Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Slovakia, and Lithuania. Uzbekistan's selection places it among a growing coalition of militaries choosing the platform as an alternative to Russian or Western legacy transports.
Neither the number of aircraft ordered nor the delivery timeline has been disclosed. Uzbekistan has gradually increased defense spending as regional security concerns mount, including instability in neighboring Afghanistan and tensions over water resources with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
The acquisition also carries economic implications for Uzbekistan's growing defense industrial cooperation with non-traditional partners. Mirziyoyev's government has worked to position Tashkent as a regional logistics hub along revived Silk Road trade corridors, where enhanced airlift capacity could serve both military and civilian purposes, particularly in disaster response and regional humanitarian operations.
No other Central Asian nation—including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, or Turkmenistan—operates this class of modern transport aircraft, giving Uzbekistan a logistics advantage in the region. The move reinforces Tashkent's emergence as Central Asia's most populous nation and increasingly assertive regional power under Mirziyoyev's leadership.
