South Korea’s First C-390 Reaches Final Assembly, Setting Up Asia’s Debut

Overview

• Embraer announced the milestone at the Singapore Airshow on Feb. 3, 2026.
• The aircraft stems from South Korea’s LTA-II modernization effort with DAPA and Korean suppliers engaged for industrial participation.
• The selection positions South Korea to become the C-390’s first operator in Asia upon delivery.
• The C-390 features a 26-ton payload, higher speed and range than many peers, multi-mission versatility, ACE capability from unpaved runways, and NATO interoperability.
• The program advances to production flights and South Korea-specific systems integration, with delivery expected to bolster ROKAF’s tactical airlift and rapid-response capacity.