The KC-390 Millennium, a multi-mission tanker aircraft produced by Brazilian aerospace company Embraer, achieved its new debut with first operations by an operator outside Brazil. To be precise, on October 19 2023, the first KC-390 ordered by the Portuguese Air Force arrived at Beja Air Base, Portugal.
In a press release received by Indomiliter.com, it was stated that the KC-390 had met the requirements set by Portugal's National Aeronautical Authority (AAN) and included NATO standard equipment that had been integrated into the aircraft.
This integration is the result of an extensive flight test campaign conducted in Portugal, in a joint effort between Embraer, OGMA, and the Portuguese Air Force (FAP)
In 2019, the Portuguese Air Force ordered five KC-390 aircraft, along with a comprehensive service and support agreement, as well as a flight simulator.
The launch of the first aircraft ordered by the Portuguese Air Force was carried out after a ceremony held Monday 16 October 2023, at the Embraer factory in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil.
“This is a wonderful moment for us, as we witness the first KC-390 Millennium entering service outside Brazil. The Portuguese Air Force is a strategic partner of Embraer, which has supported us since the beginning of the internationalization of the KC-390 Millennium. Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force will continue to work together to advance our long-term projects in the years to come,” said Walter Pinto Junior, COO of Embraer Defense & Security.
The multi-mission tactical transport aircraft offers mobility by combining high productivity and operational flexibility with low operating costs. The C-390 can carry more payload (26 tonnes) than any other military transport aircraft in its class, and fly faster and farther.
The multi-mission platform is capable of performing a variety of missions such as transport and launch of cargo and troops, aeromedical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and humanitarian missions, operating on temporary or unpaved runways (i.e., including compacted soil, dirt and gravel).
The air-to-air refueling (AAR) configuration, designated KC-390, has demonstrated its capabilities during operations by the Brazilian Air Force. The aircraft can refuel several different fighters and is also capable of refueling other KC-390s using under-wing pods.
In addition to Portugal, the C-390 multi-mission platform has received orders from Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria and the Czech Republic.