Lithuania has decided to postpone the acquisition of new military transport aircraft and instead focus on modernizing its C-27J Spartans, aiming to keep them operational at least until 2036.
The decision was made on January 27, 2026, during a meeting of the State Defense Council, canceling plans announced in 2025 to purchase three Embraer C-390 Millennium aircraft.
According to Lithuanian authorities, the change is driven by pragmatic factors, primarily budgetary pressures and a redefinition of strategic priorities. The government’s immediate focus is on strengthening air defense, establishing a new Army division, and expanding military infrastructure—areas considered critical for deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank.
The acquisition of three C-390 aircraft was estimated at between 700 and 800 million euros, a sum considered high for the defense budget of a small Baltic country. With the postponement, these funds will be redirected to more urgent projects. In contrast, the comprehensive modernization of the C-27Js, estimated at around 150 million euros, would extend the service life of the current aircraft by more than a decade.
Lithuania’s C-27J Spartans, in service since 2006–2009, have been facing rising maintenance costs, partly due to reduced availability of spare parts. Military officials acknowledge that modernization will not eliminate the model’s structural issues but consider the measure essential to avoid a gap in airlift capabilities until the early 2030s.
If a modernization contract is signed with Leonardo, any resumption of negotiations with Embraer for the C-390 purchase would only occur after 2030, under a different financial and strategic context. Should the C-390 acquisition be pursued in the future, the cost could reach approximately 750 million euros, which for now has been redirected to infrastructure development and the expansion of the integrated air defense system.
The process has also faced internal controversy. The non-competitive selection of Embraer’s offer raised questions and prompted an investigation by Lithuania’s anti-corruption authorities. The prosecutor’s office, however, stated that the information collected so far does not indicate any violation of the law.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense had announced its intention to acquire three C-390 Millennium aircraft in June 2025, after evaluating alternatives such as Airbus’s C-295MW and Lockheed Martin’s C-130J-30 Super Hercules. To date, Embraer has delivered 14 C-390 aircraft to Brazil, Portugal, and Hungary, accumulating around 20,000 flight hours, with a total order book of 46 aircraft.
Lithuanian authorities indicate that the issue of permanently replacing the C-27Js is expected to return to the agenda after 2030, when the country anticipates having greater financial flexibility and a more stable strategic environment for a long-term decision.
Source and images: Defence Industry EU | Embraer | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
