The Portuguese Air Force has received its second KC-390 airlifter.
On June 28, 2024, at 11:30 AM LT, the second KC-390 Millennium for the Portuguese Air Force (or FAP – Força Aérea Portuguesa) landed at Beja Air Base. Following its official delivery on June 26, this KC-390 departed from Gavião Peixoto, Brazil, stopping in Recife and Porto Santo before arriving. Designated as 26902, it joins Squadron 506 Rhinos.
Portugal ordered five units from Embraer in 2019 to replace the Lockheed C-130H Hércules. The first KC-390, 26901, entered service in October 2023, serving various roles including transport, evacuation, and reconnaissance.
In October 2023, one of the initial missions for the C-390 in the Portuguese Air Force involved transporting military personnel and cargo to the Canary Islands, Spain, to support the multinational Spanish-led exercise Ocean Sky 2023. Following this, the aircraft flew to the United States to collect a Black Hawk helicopter purchased by Portugal. On its return journey, it completed a direct transatlantic flight from Providence, Rhode Island, to Ovar.
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Beja Air Base has seen extensive upgrades to accommodate the new aircraft. New infrastructure has been constructed in the area previously used by Alpha Jet trainers. Adjacent to the existing hangar, a new Ground Support Equipment building has been erected. Additionally, a new squadron building has been built, featuring multiple offices, briefing rooms, preparation rooms, and other necessary facilities.
The KC-390 Millennium
The KC-390 is a medium-sized, twin-engine, jet-powered military transport aircraft developed by Brazilian aerospace company Embraer. It features a length of 35.20 meters and a wingspan of 35.05 meters, powered by two IAE V2500-E5 turbofan engines, reaching a cruising speed of 870 km/h. It accommodates four crew members and can transport payloads up to 26 tons (57,000 lbs), including two fully equipped M113 armored vehicles, a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter, 80 soldiers, or 66 fully equipped paratroopers, with a maximum take-off weight of 81 tons and a range of 8,070 km. Its versatility allows for easy reconfiguration and ample cargo capacity, meeting NATO’s operational requirements.
It is versatile, capable of performing strategic and tactical airlift missions, both civil and military. These include troop, vehicle, and cargo transport, paratrooper and cargo drops, medical evacuations, search and rescue operations, aerial refueling, and firefighting.
Besides Portugal and Brazil, which operates 22 aircraft, the KC-390 has been ordered by Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and South Korea. Hungary is currently testing a unit, and there are discussions with potential buyers, including the United States and Sweden. Embraer has achieved all necessary certifications, and the fleet has logged over 13,000 flight hours with high availability and mission completion rates.
