Portuguese Air Force’s first KC-390 enters into service

The first KC-390 Millennium of the Portuguese Air Force (FAP) entered service today at Beja Air Base.

Landing at 16:30 (local time) after a transatlantic flight between Brazil and Portugal, the first Embraer KC-390 in-flight refueling and transport aircraft formally.

The aircraft was homologated in accordance with the criteria required by the Portuguese National Aeronautical Authority (AAN) and has NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) standard equipment already integrated after an extensive test campaign conducted in Portugal, in a joint effort between Embraer, OGMA and FAP.

In 2019, the FAP ordered five C-390 aircrafts, a complete support and services package and a flight simulator. The entry into service took place after a ceremony held last Monday (16) at Embraer’s plant in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil.

«This is a very special moment, as we witness the entry into service of the first C-390 Millennium to operate outside Brazil. The Portuguese Air Force is a strategic partner for Embraer, which has supported us since the beginning of the internationalization of the C-390 Millennium. We will continue to work together to further advance our long-term projects,» said Walter Pinto Junior, COO of Embraer Defence & Security.

The fleet of Portuguese KC-390s will be operated by the 506 Squadron – «Rhinoceros», based at Air Base No. 11, in Beja.

The C-390 can carry 26 tons, being a multi-mission platform capable of performing a wide range of missions, such as cargo and troop transport and airdrop, aeromedical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and humanitarian missions, operating on temporary or unpaved runways (i.e., including compacted earth, soil and gravel).

The aerial refueling configuration, called KC-390, has already demonstrated its capabilities in Brazilian Air Force operations, having refueled different models of fighters and also another KC-390, from pods installed under the wings.

See also: Czech Republic also chooses C-390 Millennium as its new military transport aircraft

Portugal is the largest international partner in the C-390 Millennium Program and its participation in the development and production of the aircraft is recognized as having had a positive economic impact in terms of job creation, new investments, increased exports and technological advances. In addition to Portugal, the aircraft has orders from Brazil and Hungary and has already been selected by the Netherlands, Austria and the Czech Republic.