Embraer delivered the first KC-390 to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) at the military base in Anapolis, in west-central Brazil.
“The incorporation of the KC-390 into the Brazilian air force is a milestone in military aviation,” said Brazilian air force commander, Lieutenant-Brigadier Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez in a statement.
The first KC-390 will be operated from Anapolis Air Base by the First Troop Transport. Embraer has already started the training of the FAB personnel. In 2014, the Brazilian Air Force ordered a total of 28 KC-390s with logistic support from the Brazilian manufacturer. It should progressively replace the C-130 Hercules within the FAB.
The KC-390 is a tactical transport and inflight refueling aircraft. Powered by two specially designed Pratt and Whitney V2500-E5 engines, it can carry 26 tons of cargo, including vehicles like two M113 armored personnel carriers, or a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. The biggest aircraft produced in Latin America, it is designed to take off and land on semi-prepared and unpaved airfields.
It has obtained the type certificate from the Brazilian Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) in 2018. In July 2019, Portugal placed a firm order for five KC-390 transport aircraft, becoming the first international customer for the plane. Embraer has also received letters of intent from the Czech Republic (another partner in the program), as well as Argentina, Chile, and Colombia, for a total backlog of 35 aircraft.