Lithuania has suspended funding and, in practice, frozen the acquisition of the Brazilian military aircraft Embraer C-390 Millennium until the conclusion of an anti-corruption investigation affecting the procurement process.
The decision was confirmed by Lithuania’s Minister of Defence, who emphasized that no contract will be signed without the completion of the inquiry and without clearly defined sources of funding, according to public broadcaster LRT.
+ Video shows object being sucked into A350 engine during towing in Taiwan
Investigation conducted by the country’s main anti-corruption body
The inquiry is being carried out by the Lithuanian Special Investigation Service (STT), the country’s leading anti-corruption authority. The STT launched a preliminary investigation into the acquisition process of the three C-390s following concerns raised by members of the National Security and Defence Committee, who questioned the transparency and speed of the supplier selection process.
The procurement of the three aircraft had been announced in June 2025, after approval by the State Defence Council. At the time, Embraer officially confirmed the selection of the C-390 as the future transport platform for the Lithuanian Air Force.
Negotiations were underway and depended on funding
Even before the suspension, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence had stated, in September 2025, that the contract had not yet been signed and that negotiations were ongoing — particularly in the context of the joint purchase with the Netherlands, a country that also operates the C-390. The continuation of the project also depended on securing additional funding, including potential European funds.
Opposition lawmakers and some members of Parliament criticized the plan, arguing that Lithuania should prioritize modernizing its existing C-27J Spartan aircraft instead of investing in new platforms. They also argued that resources should be redirected to more urgent areas, such as air defence, during the investigation period.
The suspension is political, not mandatory — and the deal may return to the table
Although the existence of the investigation does not legally require suspending the acquisition process, the Ministry of Defence stresses that the decision is strictly political: no funds will be released until the STT concludes its analysis. If the investigation finds no irregularities and funding sources are secured, Lithuania may resume the project.
Under the original plans, the first C-390 aircraft was expected to be delivered around mid-2028.
The suspension represents a significant setback for Lithuania’s military aviation modernization program, which views the C-390 as a modern, higher-capacity alternative to replace older aircraft and enhance interoperability with European and NATO partners.
Sources and images: Embraer | Militarnyi | LRT. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
