Knight Aerospace has completed a Critical Design Review for the aeromedical evacuation system developed for the Royal Netherlands Air Force C-390 Millennium fleet. The Texas-based company announced the milestone on April 6, 2026, confirming the design has sufficient maturity to proceed to production.
The review was conducted in partnership with Embraer and in coordination with the Dutch Materiel and IT Command. Knight Aerospace is developing the modular Aeromedical Evacuation System, which uses a roll-on/roll-off configuration compatible with the C-390 cargo handling system. This allows reconfiguration for medical missions without permanent aircraft modifications.
The system supports intensive care transport, life support, and isolation of patients with infectious diseases. Its negatively pressurized isolation module reduces contamination risks for medical personnel and crew. The contract was signed at the Paris Air Show in June 2025, with one firm order and seven options to enable rapid delivery to allied C-390 operators.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force ordered five C-390 aircraft in 2022 to replace its C-130 Hercules fleet, with first deliveries expected in 2026. Knight Aerospace, headquartered at Port San Antonio, Texas, specializes in roll-on/roll-off modules for military cargo aircraft including C-130 and C-17 platforms and maintains a partnership with Embraer for C-390 medical systems.