Misplaced Pages

#465534

117-508: The Embraer C-390 Millennium is a medium-size, twin-engine , jet-powered military transport aircraft designed and produced by the Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer . It is the heaviest aircraft the company has constructed to date. Work on the project began at Embraer during the mid-2000s, with early efforts centred around a conceptual derivative of the E190 jetliner of a similar size to

234-605: A PBY Catalina and a Lockheed Hudson , and an American PBM Mariner attacked the U-boat. The Catalina, named Ärará , was captained by 2nd Lt. Alberto M. Torres, and hit U-199 with depth charges , sinking her. Forty-nine of the crew were killed, although twelve Germans managed to escape, including the captain. This was possible due to the Catalina's crew, who threw a lifeboat to the survivors. "1st Fighter Group", which saw action in Italy,

351-495: A Sikorsky H-60 helicopter, 74 litters with life-support equipment, up to 80 soldiers or 66 paratroopers with full gear. Loads of up to 42,000 lb (19 t) can be air dropped . A cargo handling and aerial delivery system, produced by DRS Defense Solutions, is incorporated. Typical amenities present in the hold include a galley , an accessibility-friendly toilet, automatic temperature control, and noise/vibration mitigation measures. Embraer have stated that considerable attention

468-625: A great circle route. Hence, in case of an engine failure in a twinjet (like Boeing 777 ), the twin-jet could make emergency landings in fields in Canada , Alaska , eastern Russia , Greenland , Iceland , or the British Isles . The Boeing 777 has also been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for flights between North America and Hawaii , which is the world's longest regular airline route with no diversion airports along

585-510: A podded engine usually mounted beneath, or occasionally above or within, each wing. Most notable examples of such a configuration are the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 . The second has one engine mounted on each side of the rear fuselage, close to its empennage , used by many business jets , although some airliners like the Fokker 70 , Douglas DC-9 and COMAC ARJ21 utilise such a design as well. In

702-476: A stall speed of 104 kn (193 km/h) IAS. The aircraft is equipped with fully fly-by-wire flight controls combined with active sidesticks , which reduces the crew's workload over conventional counterparts and permits load factors up to 3g. An autothrottle system is installed. The navigation systems, which were largely supplied by Thales Group , include an Inertial Navigation System (INS), GPS , and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) transponder. It

819-404: A KC-390 and a VC-99B Legacy were sent with a mission to rescue Brazilian nationals and other countries. The mission also brought around 12 tons of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The mission rescued national, Ukrainian, Argentine and Colombian citizens, all of whom were taken to Brazil. In February 2022, the Brazilian government and Embraer agreed to downsize the former's order for C-390s to 22, which

936-566: A cooperation agreement. Two months later, an agreement was signed by the two companies to collaborate on the development of the C-390, and possibly extending to sales as well. In June 2013, Boeing agreed to market the C-390 in the US, UK, and Middle East, building on the June 2012 MoU. In November 2019, it was announced that Boeing and Embraer were to form a new joint venture company to promote and develop new markets for

1053-705: A crash, of which he was killed. Ricardo Kirk was the first Brazilian Military Aviator. In 1891 he entered the Military Academy and was commissioned an ensign in November, 1893 and to first-lieutenant in March, 1898 and posthumously to captain in 1915. Although the two sides in struggle had few airplanes during the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932, aviation made a big impact during the conflict. The federal government had approximately 58 aircraft divided between

1170-429: A cruising speed of Mach 0.8 which, according to Embraer, enables payloads to be transported faster than any other airplane in the medium airlift market. It can attain a controlled descend rate of 9,000 ft/min (2,700 m/min) at its 300 kn (560 km/h) maximum IAS through a combination of extended slats, idle thrust, and flight spoilers extended to 40°. When its flaps are fully deployed at 40 degrees, it has

1287-513: A day. On 22 April 1945, the three remaining flights took off at 5-minute intervals, starting at 8:30 AM, to destroy bridges, barges, and motorized vehicles in the San Benedetto region. At 10:00 AM, a flight took off for an armed reconnaissance mission south of Mantua . They destroyed more than 80 tanks, trucks, and vehicles. By the end of the day, the group had flown 44 individual missions and destroyed hundreds of vehicles and barges. On this day

SECTION 10

#1732847909466

1404-522: A gallon of gasoline in one of the wagons carrying the dismantled aircraft. The fire spread, much like the planes. After the crash, only the Morane-Saulnier remained in flying condition. In the conflict zone, he coordinated the construction of runways and hangars to be used in União da Vitória, Canoinhas and Rio Negro. Then, two Morane-Saulnier and special ammunition were brought from Rio de Janeiro, as well as

1521-476: A ground test in Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil. The first production C-390, which was the third aircraft to be built including the prototypes, made its first flight on 6   October 2018. On 23 October 2018, the C-390 was issued with Brazilian civil type certification. By this point, the aircraft has cumulatively attained 1,900 flight hours during testing, while the first production aircraft was set to be delivered to

1638-708: A group of 40 rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia ), which had seized a Brazilian military detachment. In October, 2002, the Brazilian Air Force used its A-1 AMX fighter bombers to destroy clandestine airstrips used by the narcotics traffickers in the interior of the Amazon rainforest near the border with Suriname. The operation also had support from the Brazilian Army and Brazilian Federal Police with many drug dealers being arrested as

1755-592: A landing at Brasilia International Airport at 10:12 pm. On June 3, 1982, two F-5E Tiger II fighters from the 1st Fighter Aviation Group, based at the Santa Cruz Air Force Base - Rio de Janeiro, intercepted an Avro Vulcan Royal Air Force that had technical problems when returning from a mission during the Falklands War in the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The aircraft

1872-412: A length of 18.5 m (61 ft), width of 3.45 m (11.3 ft), and height of 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in), and is primarily accessed via a large rear ramp built into the tail. It can carry payloads of up to 26 t (57,000 lb). This allows for the carriage of either two fully-tracked M113 armored personnel carriers , one Boxer or Brazilian VBTP-MR Guarani wheeled armoured vehicle,

1989-590: A mechanic. The first aerial activity occurred only on January 4, 1915, when a training flight followed the course of the Iguaçú River to the Timbo River. The first official mission took place on January 19 and the duration of the flight was just over an hour. The following week, on February 25, 1915, a Morane-Saulnier had an accident. During a test flight in the vicinity of the field, the engine stopped and aircraft crashed with total loss, pilot survived. March 1, 1915

2106-612: A much higher percentage of the total destruction wrought: After the war, the FAB began flying the British Gloster Meteor jet fighter . The jets were purchased from the British for 15,000 tons of crude cotton , as Brazil had no foreign currency reserves to spare. The jet was operated by the FAB until the mid-1960s, when it was replaced by the F-80C and TF-33A , which were later replaced by

2223-471: A propaganda weapon, dropping leaflets on enemy cities and into rebel concentration camps. For the use of aerial means, General Góis Monteiro had in his Staff of two advisers, Captains Vasco Alves Secco and Carlos Pfaltzgraff Brazil. Major Eduardo Gomes , commander of the Joint Aviation Group, who since the outbreak of hostilities had coordinated the employment of his unit and the reinforcements of

2340-540: A rear ramp, closed-loop fly-by-wire system, and synthetic vision . By 2006, Embraer was studying a military tactical transport design of a similar size to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules , to be powered by 17,000–22,000 lbf (75.6–98 kN) jet engines, such as the Pratt & Whitney PW6000 and Rolls-Royce BR715 . In April 2007, Embraer publicly stated that it was studying a medium-size airlifter. Referred to by

2457-520: A result. The AMX Bomber/Fighter was the primary plane used. On November 21, 2008, F-5E Tiger II fighter jets from the 1st Fighter Aviation Group based at the Santa Cruz Air Force Base intercepted a civilian cargo Douglas DC-8 from a private company in Ghana as it entered the Brazilian airspace, off the coast of Cabo Frio , littoral of Rio de Janeiro. The aircraft was escorted by the Brazilian F-5s to

SECTION 20

#1732847909466

2574-509: A single night jump. In 2021, after the Haiti earthquake , the C-390 was dispatched to Haiti with around eleven tons of medicine and specialized firefighting equipment for search and rescue in collapsed structures, search dogs and doctors. A single C-390 flew to Ushuaia carrying spare parts in support of a FAB C-130 that was on an Antarctic operation. In the Russian-Ukrainian conflict of 2022,

2691-408: A specified distance from an available diversion airport. Overwater flights near diversion airports need not be ETOPS/LROPS-compliant. Since the 1990s, airlines have increasingly turned from four-engine or three-engine airliners to twin-engine airliners to operate transatlantic and transpacific flight routes. On a nonstop flight from America to Asia or Europe, the long-range aircraft usually follows

2808-438: A stretched version of the C-390 focused on the civil market for freighters sometime around 2018. It estimated that the company would receive 200–250 orders over a 10-year period. To increase internal capacity, two plugs will be added fore and aft of the centre fuselage section, which would also provide a new side cargo door. In April 2011, Embraer estimated that 695 military transport aircraft worldwide would need to be replaced in

2925-452: A stretched version of the aircraft as a civilian freighter. Partnerships were promptly formed with various other aerospace companies on the programme, including FAdeA , ENAER , OGMA , and Boeing . A joint venture with Boeing was announced in November 2019, but quickly fell apart within six months. Major subcontractors in the aircraft's manufacturing include Aero Vodochody , BAE Systems , and Rockwell Collins . On 3   February 2015,

3042-564: A successor to the Royal Netherlands Air Force 's (RNLAF) C-130H Hercules, which were becoming increasingly maintenance-hungry due to their advanced age. Instead of being phased out by 2031, their replacement would begin in 2026. As suggested through operational experiences in Kabul in the summer of 2021 and events along NATO 's eastern flank in the spring of 2022, an increased need for the transport mission had been identified. Furthermore,

3159-528: A trijet aircraft) and Boeing worked on new widebody twinjet designs that would become the Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 , respectively. The MD-11's long range advantage was brief as it was soon nullified by the Airbus A330-300 and the extended-range Boeing 767-300ER and Boeing 777-200ER. The Airbus A320 twinjet stands out as the most produced jet airliner. The Boeing 777X is the world's largest twinjet, and

3276-431: Is a mid-sized utility transport aircraft. Its design permits flexible operations. Both the internal and external configuration of the aircraft can be rapidly interchanged to accommodate different mission roles due the modular design adopted since the aircraft concept for all missions systems. It incorporates modern technology and mission software to aid crews in carrying out operations. The cockpit has head-up displays for

3393-405: Is fitted with SELEX Galileo 's Gabbiano tactical radar, capable of GMTI , SAR , ISAR , SART modes amongst others. For self-defense purposes, an Elbit Systems -supplied directional infrared countermeasures suite is typically installed. An integrated onboard maintenance system actively monitors the health of the overall aircraft and various subsystems at all times. The hold of the C-390 has

3510-474: Is not an issue, as one of the engines is more than powerful enough to keep the aircraft aloft (see below). Mostly, ETOPS certification involves maintenance and design requirements ensuring that a failure of one engine cannot make the other one fail also. The engines and related systems need to be independent and (in essence) independently maintained. ETOPS/LROPS is often incorrectly thought to apply only to long overwater flights, but it applies to any flight more than

3627-487: Is powered by a pair of IAE V2500 -E5 turbofan engines, which are mounted forward on the high wing . This wing features an anhedral angle , slats , and High-lift devices able to deflect up to 40°. The landing gear is equipped with low-pressure tires, two 5.9 bar (85 psi) on the nose and four 7.2 bar (105 psi) on either side bogies , which facilitate the aircraft's use upon soft, unpaved ground, such as austere airstrips, or damaged runways. The C-390 has

Embraer C-390 Millennium - Misplaced Pages Continue

3744-512: Is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branches were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces" in 1941. Both air branches transferred their equipments, installations and personnel to the new force. According to Flight International ( Flightglobal.com ) and

3861-623: Is the only one in the 20 ton class that meets all our requirements." The order was confirmed at the Farnborough Airshow 2024 for four units. Delivery are scheduled to begin in 2027 and conclude by 2030 according to the Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. In December 2023, the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) decided to introduce three KC-390s by 2026, with a budget of KRW 710 billion ( US$ 540M). A DAPA official explained that

3978-552: The 2020 Beirut explosion , a C-390 and an Embraer 190 VC-2 were sent with around six tons of medicines, food and health equipment to provide emergency care. It was the first international mission of the aircraft in FAB service. In February 2021, during Operational Exercise "Culminating", in Louisiana, United States, the KC-390 conducted joint flights with US Air Force C-17 and C-130 airlifters. The combined force launched 4,000 paratroopers in

4095-458: The 777X in November 2013, while then-CEO Fabrice Brégier preferred to focus on product improvement rather than all-new concepts for 10 years. It would have a 10-abreast economy like the 777; its 565 m (6,081 sq ft) wing, slightly more than the 747-8, would have an 80 m (262 ft) span, as wide as the A380 , for a 892,900 lb (405 t) MTOW compared to 775,000 lb (352 t) for

4212-550: The Antonov An-32 . In March 2010, Embraer drew up a development schedule, upon which the first prototype aircraft was scheduled to be delivered in late 2014. In July 2010, at the Farnborough Airshow , the Brazilian Air Force announced its intent to order 28 C-390s, while Embraer announced an increase in the aircraft's cargo capacity to 21 t (46,000 lb). At the 2011 Paris Air Show , Embraer announced plans to launch

4329-399: The Boeing 777 , Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 have matched or surpassed older quad-jet designs such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A340 in these aspects, and twinjets have been more successful in terms of sales than quad-jets. In 2012, Airbus studied a 470-seat twinjet competitor for the Boeing 747-8 with lower operating costs expected between 2023 and 2030, revived after Boeing launched

4446-528: The Brazilian Air Force was in the process of finalizing an initial purchase contract for between 22 and 30 aircraft, while Embraer was negotiating with possible partners on the programme. Two months later, the Brazilian Congress released R$ 800 million (US$ 440M) to be invested in the project and fund the aircraft's development. Around this time, the media claimed that the aircraft would be operated by

4563-517: The C-390 Millennium . This new company, Boeing Embraer – Defense , was to have its ownership divided between a 51% stake held by Embraer and 49% by Boeing. It was to begin operations following the granting of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of closing conditions. However, in April 2020, Boeing terminated the planned joint ventures with Embraer. Major subcontractors include Aero Vodochody for

4680-741: The Cold War , the then Brazilian military government was aligned with the United States and NATO . This meant that the Northrop F-5 could be bought cheaply from the United States, which called this jet the "Freedom Fighter". Many other countries, such as Mexico , also benefited from this policy. But Brazil did not buy the F-5A Freedom Fighter, instead buying the F-5 Tiger II years later. In

4797-752: The Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station . The C-390 participated in 2022 in Operation Cooperation VII in Colombia, operating on runways of up to 2,100 meters, at altitudes simulating missions of humanitarian assistance and paratrooper launches. In 2023, aircraft participated in Operation Surucucu delivering supplies by air to the indigenous Yanomami peoples who live between the Orinoco and Amazon rivers. In 2023, they also participated in

Embraer C-390 Millennium - Misplaced Pages Continue

4914-581: The Galeão Air Force Base . On 3 June 2009, two Brazilian Air Force A-29 Super Tucanos , guided by an Embraer R-99 , intercepted a Cessna U206G engaged in drug trafficking activities. Inbound from Bolivia, the Cessna was intercepted in the region of Alta Floresta d'Oeste , and after exhausting all procedures, one of the Super Tucanos fired a warning shot from its 12.7 mm machine guns, after which

5031-609: The Hungarian Air Force retired its last Soviet -era An-26 military cargo plane, Hungary signed an order for two KC-390s, along with full training, support and maintenance. The configurations that the Hungarian Defence Forces ordered include the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) kit, enabling Hungary to provide intensive care medicine in humanitarian missions abroad. On 19 November 2021, Embraer started assembly of

5148-645: The International Institute for Strategic Studies , the Brazilian Air Force has an active strength of 80,937 military personnel and operates around 715 aircraft. The Brazilian Air Force is the largest air force in the Southern Hemisphere and the second largest in the Americas after the United States Air Force . The Contestado War was the first conflict in which Brazilian military aviation

5265-446: The Lockheed C-130 Hercules . The company was keen to use turbofan jet engines, instead of turboprops . Support for the venture was forthcoming from both the Brazilian government and the Brazilian Air Force . In May 2008, the government invested R$ 800 million (US$ 440M) in the project's development. In April 2009, Embraer was issued a $ 1.5 billion contract for two prototypes. At the 2011 Paris Air Show , Embraer announced plans to launch

5382-537: The MB-326 , Mirage III and Northrop F-5 jets. During events involving the Lobster War, between 1961 and 1964, the Brazilian Air Force played an important role in monitoring and patrolling the large area of litigation with France, making its B-17 squadrons available for observation and photo-reconnaissance of French vessels close to Brazilian coast, in addition to using its most modern anti-submarine warfare means, such as

5499-653: The Olympic Games Rio 2016 , there will be over 15,000 military and 80 aircraft involved in the Olympics. To defense missions and aerial patrol 32 fighters ( Northrop F-5M and A-29 Super Tucano ), for aerial warning missions 2 radar aircraft ( Embraer R-99 ), surveillance missions 3 Unmanned aircraft ( Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 ), for maritime patrol missions 1 ( P-3 Orion ), for logistical support missions ( Boeing C-767 , C-130 and C-295 ), 15 helicopters ( Mil Mi-35 , UH-60 Black Hawk and EC-725 ). Between 2004 and 2017,

5616-580: The Royal Netherlands Air Force . The C-390 can be configured to perform various conventional operations such as troop, VIP and cargo transportation, and more specialised logistical operations such as aerial refuelling as a tanker. It can carry payloads of up to 26 t (57,000 lb), such as two fully-tracked M113 armored personnel carriers , one Boxer armoured vehicle, a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter, 74 litters with life-support equipment, up to 80 soldiers or 66 paratroopers with full gear, and loads of up to 42,000 lb (19 t) can be air dropped . In

5733-507: The S-2 Tracker and P-2V Neptune . Having been given authority over all national military aircraft since 1941, from her commissioning in 1961 to 1999 the Brazilian Air Force flew the S-2 Trackers of the aircraft carrier Minas Gerais while from 1965 naval aviation flew its own helicopters. Now naval aviation is also authorized to fly its own fixed wing carrier based aircraft. During

5850-563: The U.S. Fifth Army started its offensive along the Po Valley . By then, the strength of the Group had fallen to 25 pilots, some having been killed and others shot down and captured. Some others had been relieved from operations on medical grounds due to combat fatigue . The Group disbanded the Yellow flight and distributed the surviving pilots among the other flights. Each pilot flew on average two missions

5967-492: The enhanced vision system with four cameras and Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion commercial avionics. The C-390 can provide inflight refueling to other aircraft through two wing-mounted probe and drogue pods from Cobham plc . These can deliver fuel at up to 1,500 L (400 US gal) per minute from a 35 t (77,000 lb) total fuel capacity, between 120 and 300 kn (220 and 560 km/h) and from 2,000 to 32,000 ft (610 to 9,750 m). The aircraft

SECTION 50

#1732847909466

6084-453: The 1st/1st GT Gordo . In the first 3.5 years of operation, the C-390 in the FAB totaled more than 8,200 flight hours with 6,000 flights, the technical availability was around 80% and the mission completion rate was 99.5%, according to Embraer data and the FAB. In January 2021, in the middle of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic , the Brazilian city of Manaus , located in the interior of

6201-735: The 777-200LR variant has the world's second longest aircraft range (behind Airbus A350-900 ULR). Other Boeing twinjets include the 767 , 757 (With the latter having stopped production, but still in commercial service) and 787 . Competitor Airbus produces the A320 family , the A330 , and the A350 . Some modern commercial airplanes still use four engines ( quad-jets ) like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 , which are classified as very large aircraft (over 400 seats in mixed-class configurations). Four engines are still used on

6318-432: The 777X, with a composite structure for an operating empty weight of 467,400 lb (212 t), and a 8,150 nmi (15,090 km) range at Mach 0.85. When flying far from diversionary airports (so called ETOPS/LROPS flights), the aircraft must be able to reach an alternate on the remaining engine within a specified time in case of one engine failure. When aircraft are certified according to ETOPS standards, thrust

6435-647: The Air" ( "Uma premente necessidade: o Ministério do Ar" ). Two years later the French Military Mission, working for the Brazilian Army, made the first steps to organize a national air arm. The idea got more support when a group of Brazilian airmen came from Italy in 1934 and explained the advantages of having a military aviation unified. Also, the Spanish Revolution and the first movements of World War II at

6552-767: The Allied war effort in World War II , especially as part of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force on the Italian front . From mid-1942 until the end of the war, the FAB also patrolled the Atlantic. On 31 July 1943 it claimed the German submarine U-199 , which was located on the surface, off Rio de Janeiro , at 23°54′S 42°54′W  /  23.900°S 42.900°W  / -23.900; -42.900 . Two Brazilian aircraft,

6669-471: The Amazon rainforest, was left with an overburdened medical service needing medical supplies and help with transferring patients. A major operation was set up by the Brazilian air force, mobilizing all its available transport aviation. The C-390 played a key role in this operation, carrying out an airlift mission connecting the city of Manaus to the rest of the country, taking hospital supplies and removing hundreds of patients from an overloaded Manaus. Following

6786-433: The Brazilian Air Force and the Army and Navy , and that there were unconfirmed sales to other government agencies in the works. On 14 April 2009, Embraer was awarded with a $ 1.5 billion contract to develop and build two prototypes. At the programme launch, the design was all-new in terms of its fuselage, wing, flight deck, and engine selection. The E-190's wing were dispensed with, partly due to its limited surface area. It

6903-480: The Brazilian Air Force fleet of C-390 had accumulated more than 8,000 flight hours, having participated in aviation fairs and carried out missions on all continents including Antarctica, where C-390 from the Fat Squadron (1st/1st GT) performed two air resupply missions for the Brazilian Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station . At the end of March 2023, the aircraft received the Final Type Certificate, reaching full operational capability (FOC). The Embraer C-390 Millennium

7020-414: The Brazilian Air Force in the first half of 2019 and should obtain military certification by the end of 2019. The third aircraft (PT-ZNG), originally slated for the first delivery, was instead redirected towards the certification efforts. In February 2021, Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force dispatched a single KC-390 to the US to undergo testing under extreme cold conditions. In the first quarter of 2023,

7137-461: The Brazilian Air Force showed its ability to guarantee Brazilian sovereignty. In the midst of the Falklands War , on a rainy Good Friday night, the radar system detected a lyushin II-62M , registration number CU-T1225, Soviet-made and belonging to Cubana, a Cuban state company about 300 km away from Brasilia. Two F-103E Mirage III fighters from the 1st Air Defense Group (1st GDA), based at Anápolis Air Base, took off at around 9:00 pm to carry out

SECTION 60

#1732847909466

7254-414: The C-390 Millenium to replace its aging C-130 Hercules and in exchange, the Brazilian Air Force announced that will increase its contract with Saab by 25%, increasing to 45 JAS 39 Gripens to be purchased for the FAB. The C-390 has been marketed as a jet-powered alternative to the Lockheed C-130. In May 2023, the commander of the Brazilian Air Force, Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno , pointed to Austria,

7371-419: The C-390 Millennium was found to surpass the requirements. Instead of the anticipated four aircraft, the RNLAF expects to receive five aircraft from 2026 onwards, allowing annual flight hours to rise from the required 2,400 to 4,000. In September 2023, Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner announced the C-390 as the successor to the Austrian Air Force 's C-130 Hercules, stating that "Embraer's aircraft system

7488-428: The C-390 transported military personnel and cargo to the Canary Islands , Spain, in support of the multinational Spanish-led exercise Ocean Sky 2023. It then progressed to the United States where it picked up one of the Black Hawk helicopters procured by Portugal. On its return flight, it crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a direct flight from Providence, Rhode Island to Ovar . In November 2020, almost six months after

7605-648: The Constitutionalist Aviation Group. The establishment of the United Kingdom 's Royal Air Force in April 1918, and the creation of the Italian Air Force ( Regia Aeronautica ) and the French Air Force during the 1920s drove the idea of uniting Brazilian air power under the same organization. Together with these events the Brazilian strategists were also influenced by the theories of Giulio Douhet , Billy Mitchell and Hugh Montague Trenchard . The first public manifest to create an integrated military air service came up in 1928 when an army Major called Lysias Rodrigues wrote an article called "An urgent need: The Ministry of

7722-407: The Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Rwanda, South Africa, South Korea, and Sweden as potential buyers for the KC-390. BAE Systems signed an agreement with Embraer to market the C-390 to Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. In November 2023, it was reported that Embraer and Saudi Arabia's SAMI have partnered to pitch the C-390 transport to the Saudi Arabian government, including

7839-423: The FAB worked on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) supporting the United Nations force (a joint Brazilian, Uruguayan , Chilean and Argentine force) deployed there. In November 2017, while searching for the missing Argentine Submarine ARA San Juan , the Brazilian Air Force sent a C-295M search and rescue aircraft and a P-3AM Orion anti-submarine warfare aircraft to assist in

7956-410: The FAB. Working with Italian corporations, it developed the new AMX attack aircraft (known locally as the A-1) which makes up the backbone of the FAB's attack force. The successful Tucano T-27 trainer and the new A-29 light attack aircraft are also Embraer types used extensively by the FAB. During Operation Traira , in February 1991, six AT-27 Tucanos were used for close air support against

8073-403: The Military Aviation School, was designated, on September 16, Commander of the Air Units of the Army Detachment of the East. On September 6, Major Ajalmar Vieira Mascarenhas was appointed Commander of the Air Units of the Detachment of the Southern Army. The Navy's aircraft were under the direct operational control of the naval authorities, operating in support of the surface ships deployed near

8190-538: The Navy and the Army. On the other hand, the Paulistas had only two Potez 25 and two Waco planes, in addition to a small number of tourist planes. At the end of July, the rebel government obtained another plane, brought by Lieutenant Artur Mota Lima, who defected from Campo dos Afonsos, Rio de Janeiro . The "reds", as the federal government planes were known, not only acted on the lines of combat, but also were used to bombard several cities of São Paulo, among them Campinas, where they caused great damage. They also served as

8307-977: The Operation Agata 4, the Brazilian Air Force used two A-29 Super Tucano to destroy a clandestine runway used by drug traffickers within the Amazon rainforest. In 2011–2013, Operation Agatha marks the start of a new decade of the twenty-first century with the consolidation of the Amazon Surveillance System (SIVAM), an intricate network of radars, meteorological sensors, digital satellite communications, and advanced air-traffic-control software, among other technological advances available to Brazilian Military personnel. The Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which deployed new tactics and methods of fighting using RQ-450 remote-controlled aircraft . Operating in conjunction with sophisticated E-99 Guardian planes , they will locate objectives for A-29 Super Tucano fighters flying in darkness. Northrop F-5EM fighters, responsible for providing air superiority. In July 2016, Defense Aerospace Brazilian command displays participation of Brazilian Air Force at

8424-685: The Salitre IV exercise, in Chile, where a KC-390 and six F-5s carried out 50 combat missions with the tanker aircraft performing the first combat refueling in an international mission. In February 2010, Embraer proposed the C-390 to the Portuguese Ministry of Defense as a replacement option for the Portuguese Air Force (FAP)'s aging fleet of C-130s. In July 2017, the Portuguese government authorized

8541-682: The US to convert to the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt . On September 19, 1944, the 1º GAVCA left for Italy, arriving at Livorno on October 6. It became part of the 350th Fighter Group of the USAAF , which in turn was part of the 62nd Fighter Wing , XXII Tactical Air Command , of the 12th Air Force . The Brazilian pilots initially flew from 31 October 1944, as individual elements of flights attached to 350th FG squadrons, at first in affiliation flights and progressively taking part in more dangerous missions. Less than two weeks later, on November 11,

8658-571: The V2500-E5 turbofans. Its use on the C-390 is its first military application. Fábrica Argentina de Aviones supplies the tail cone, cargo door and landing gear doors. On 25 April 2023, in a joint announcement by Brazilian President Lula and the Prime Minister of Portugal, Costa stated that the KC-390 could be built or assembled in Portugal OGMA for European customers along with the new A-29N . It

8775-476: The aircraft followed the Super Tucanos to Cacoal airport. In 2010, the FAB worked on the Search & Rescue mission of Air France Flight 447 . The Brazilian Air Force has started a search and rescue from the Brazilian archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, sending eight planes to search a stretch bounded by the coastal cities of Recife , Natal and the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. On March 12, 2012, during

8892-650: The city of Colares , Pará State. The objects observed in the military records received the nickname of luminous bodies and were associated with phenomena reported by residents and authorities, reported by the local press, which reported alleged attacks on the civilian population. The operation was terminated after 4 months, and other related missions were carried out during 1978 by the National Intelligence Service . The Operation's documentary collection comprises hundreds of pages of documents, such as reports, photographic images and footage. On April 9, 1982,

9009-459: The company designation C-390 , this transport aircraft was said to incorporate many of the technological solutions present on the Embraer E-Jet series and feature a rear ramp for the loading and unloading of a wide range of cargo. In March 2008, the Brazilian government planned to invest about R$ 60 million (equivalent to US$ 33 million ) in the aircraft's initial development. Simultaneously,

9126-460: The defense minister of Portugal signed an intentions letter to join the programme. In December 2011, Brazil and Portugal agreed to a defense partnership with Empresa de Engenharia Aeronáutica (EEA) for developing the engineering data for the KC-390's components, which will be manufactured by Embraer's Portuguese subsidiary OGMA . In April 2012, the American aerospace giant Boeing and Embraer signed

9243-544: The detection of radar echoes at radial 270 of its VOR, prompting the air base to also be put on alert. During the events of that night, 2 Northrop F-5 and 3 Dassault Mirage III fighters were activated in an attempt to intercept dozens of UFOs over the four Brazilian states. The Minister of the Air Force, Brigadier Lt. of the Air Octávio Júlio Moreira Lima granted a press conference on the 23rd of May along with

9360-751: The devaluation of the Brazilian currency and government spending cuts. However, a second test flight took place at Gavião Peixoto on 26 October 2015. By February 2016, the first prototype had logged more than 100 hours of flight. Following the resumption of flight-testing, the manufacturer expected to certify the C-390 sometime in 2017 and begin deliveries in 2018. The eight months between test flights were used to conduct ground vibration tests to validate aeroelastic models , as well as avionics , mission, landing gear and electric and hydraulic flight control system testing. Embraer reported good availability for testing, sometimes conducting two flights per day. The aircraft

9477-420: The early 2000s, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer became interested in developing its own medium-sized transport aircraft . Its initial design study was based around a high-wing derivative of its existing E190 jetliner . Between 2005 and 2007, it investigated the pairing of the wing and GE CF34 engine of the mature Embraer 190 (E190) with a cabin that was modified to function as a cargo hold, complete with

9594-451: The end of the thirties showed the importance of Air power for military strategies. One of the main supporters of the plan to create an independent air arm was the then-president Getúlio Vargas . He organized a study group early in 1940 and the whole structure of the Ministry of Aeronautics ( Ministério da Aeronáutica ) was established the end of that year. This new governmental agency

9711-413: The fighter pilots, confirming the events of the 19th and stating, "It's not about believing or not [in aliens]. We can only give out technical information . There are several hypotheses. Technically, I'd tell you gentlemen that we have no explanation." The Embraer ( Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica , Brazilian Aeronautic Co.) company has its origins as an enterprise directly managed and sponsored by

9828-567: The first Hungarian KC-390 at its Gavião Peixoto facility. On 12 April 2024, the first C-390 was delivered to the Hungarian Air Force, landing at Kecskemét Air Base . Before returning to Brazil, it underwent a three-week testing period and received NATO-standard communication equipment. The first aircraft was delivered to Kecskemét Airbase on 5 September 2024. In June 2022 the Netherlands Ministry of Defense announced that it had found

9945-466: The first of two prototypes performed its maiden flight . On 4   September 2019, the first production aircraft was delivered to the Brazilian Air Force. In November 2019, during the Dubai Airshow, Embraer announced the aircraft's new name for the global market, C-390 Millennium . Several export customers for the C-390 have been secured, including the Portuguese Air Force , Hungarian Air Force , and

10062-408: The first prototype (PT-ZNF) made an uncommanded descent from 20,000 ft to 3,100 ft at 4,500 ft/min. In December 2017, as the two prototypes accumulated over 1,500 flight hours and laboratory testing over 40,000 hours, initial operating capability was reached, while full operational capability was expected in 2018. On 5   May 2018, the first prototype (PT-ZNF) ran off the runway during

10179-470: The following decade. In August 2010, the defence ministers of Chile and Brazil signed an agreement for the Chilean aircraft company ENAER to join the C-390 industry team. That same month, Argentine Defence Minister Nilda Garré announced that Argentina would participate in the construction programme. In September 2010, Colombia signed an agreement to participate in the C-390 programme. On 10 September 2010,

10296-460: The group flew the most sorties of the war; consequently, Brazil commemorates April 22 Brazilian Fighter Arm Day. In all, the 1 GAVCA flew a total of 445 missions, 2,550 individual sorties, and 5,465 combat flight hours, from 11 November 1944 to 6 May 1945. The XXII Tactical Air Command acknowledged the efficiency of the Group by noting that although it flew only 5% of the total of missions carried out by all squadrons under its control, it accomplished

10413-581: The group started its own operations flying from its base at Tarquinia , using its tactical callsign Jambock . Brazilian Air Force stars replaced the white U.S. star in the roundel on the FAB Thunderbolts. The 1 GAVCA started its fighting career as a fighter-bomber unit, its missions being armed reconnaissance and interdiction , in support of the US Fifth Army, to which the FEB was attached. On April 16, 1945,

10530-504: The international search effort. In January 2021, in the middle of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic , the Brazilian city of Manaus , located in the interior of the amazon rainforest, was left with an overburdened medical service needing medical supplies and transferring patients, a major operation was set up by Brazilian air force, mobilizing all its available transport aviation, aircraft C-130 , KC-390 , C-97 Brasilia , C-95M Bandeirantes , CASA C-105 and C-99 were deployed for

10647-526: The introduction of ETOPS rules that allowed twin-engine jets to fly long-distance routes that were previously off-limits to them, Airbus was able to further develop the A300 as a medium- to long-range airliner to increased sales; Boeing launched its widebody twinjet, the Boeing 767 , in response. In the 1980s the Boeing 727 was discontinued, as its central engine bay would require a prohibitively expensive redesign to accommodate quieter high-bypass turbofans, and it

10764-481: The largest aeromedical evacuation operation in Brazilian aviation military history. In October 2023, during the Israel-Hamas war , the Brazilian Air Force together with the Brazilian government mounted its largest repatriation operation of nationals in a conflict zone in history, employing 6 aircraft (2 Airbus A330 MRTT , 2 Embraer C-390 Millennium and 2 Embraer Lineage 1000 ) to rescue more than 2,700 people from

10881-449: The largest cargo aircraft capable of transporting outsize cargo , including strategic airlifters . Twin-jets tend to be more fuel-efficient than trijet (three engine) and quad-jet (four engine) aircraft. As fuel efficiency in airliners is a high priority, many airlines have been increasingly retiring trijet and quad-jet designs in favor of twinjets in the twenty-first century. The trijet designs were phased out first, in particular due to

10998-540: The middle of the Cold War , between 1970 and 1974, the Brazilian Air Force used its attack aircraft to bomb camps of internal Maoist guerrilla groups in the regions of the Vale do Ribeira and in the Araguaia River , attacking targets inside the jungles, using NA T-6 attack planes and B-26 Invader bombers armed with napalm . In 1977 the Brazilian Air Force conducted Operation Saucer regarding alleged UFO sightings in

11115-650: The mission to protect Brazilian airspace. Under the guidance of the ground control, the two F-103Es positioned themselves next to the Cuban invader. It was then that, from the Military Operations Center, Major José Orlando Bellon said on the radio, in English: “You were intercepted. There are two combat aircraft at your side. The order is to land in Brasilia immediately ”. Under the surveillance of Brazilian fighters, they made

11232-410: The more complicated design and maintenance issues of the middle engine mounted on the stabilizer. Early twinjets were not permitted by ETOPS restrictions to fly long-haul trans-oceanic routes, as it was thought that they were unsafe in the event of failure of one engine, so quad-jets were used. Quad-jets also had higher carrying capacity than comparable earlier twinjets. However, later twinjets such as

11349-748: The port of Santos, to effect a naval blockade and also in support of the Naval Flotilla of Mato Grosso, based in Ladário. They also participated in operations with Military Aviation in the Paraíba Valley and on the southern front, in escort and observation missions. The Air Force of São Paulo was under the overall command of Major Ivo Borges, Commander of the Aviation Units of the Constitutionalist Aviation, and Major Lysias A. Rodrigues, Commander of

11466-640: The potential for local assembly and support. Morocco has received one KC-390 Millennium for testing purposes, pending a potential acquisition agreement between Morocco and Brazil. In April 2024, Embraer and Brazilian postal company Correios signed a Memorandum of Understanding focusing on air cargo transport. The partnership includes a plan to evaluate the C-390 as a civilian cargo aircraft for Correios. Data from Aviation Week , Embraer General characteristics Performance Twinjet There are three common configurations of twinjet aircraft. The first, common on large aircraft such as airliners, has

11583-589: The purchase of five C-390 airlifters, with the option for a sixth. The deal includes five C-390s and a flight simulator for pilot training, was reportedly valued at €827 million. The first aircraft was delivered to Portugal in February 2023 and achieved operational status in October 2023. The final C-390 is scheduled to be delivered by February 2027. Among its first missions in the Portuguese Air Force in October 2023,

11700-451: The rear fuselage section, BAE Systems for the fly-by-wire primary flight control system, ELEB for the landing gear, OGMA , involved in the design and manufacturing of the sponsons , including the central fuselage, and development of the landing gear, rear wing elevators, fuselage and part of the rudder with CEiiA, with Rockwell Collins for the avionics, cargo handling and aerial delivery system. International Aero Engines (IAE) supplies

11817-498: The reason for choosing the C-390 was that there was no significant difference in cost and performance compared to other competitors such as Lockheed Martin and Airbus , but there was a meaningful difference in contract terms such as offset requirements and allowing South Korean companies to participate in production. On 9 November 2024, the Swedish Air Force announced the selection and the beginning of negotiations to procure

11934-729: The requirement that an aircraft be able to continue a takeoff if an engine fails after the takeoff decision speed is reached. Thus, with all engines operating, trijets must be able to produce at least 150% of the minimum thrust required to climb and quad-jets 133%. Conversely, since a twinjet will lose half of its total thrust if an engine fails, they are required to produce 200% of the minimum thrust required to climb when both engines are operating. Because of this, twinjets typically have higher thrust-to-weight ratios than aircraft with more engines, and are thus able to accelerate and climb faster. Brazilian Air Force The Brazilian Air Force ( Portuguese : Força Aérea Brasileira , FAB )

12051-622: The third configuration both engines are within the fuselage, side-by-side, used by most fighters since the 1960s. Later fighters using this configuration include the Su-27 'Flanker', the F-15 Eagle , and the F-22 Raptor . The first twinjet to fly was the German fighter prototype Heinkel He 280 , flying in April 1941 with a pair of nacelled Heinkel HeS 8 axial-flow turbojets. The twinjet configuration

12168-450: The way. On large passenger jets, the cost of the engines makes up a significant proportion of the plane's final cost. Each engine also requires separate service, paperwork, and certificates. Having two larger engines as opposed to three or four smaller engines will typically significantly reduce both the purchase and maintenance costs of a plane. Regulations governing the required thrust levels for transport aircraft are typically based upon

12285-523: Was Alberto M. Torres, who had piloted a PBY Catalina that had sunk U-199 , operating off the Brazilian coast. The group trained for combat in Panama , where 2º Ten.-Av. (Aviation Second Lieutenant) Dante Isidoro Gastaldoni was killed in a training accident. On May 11, 1944, the group was declared operational and became active in the air defense of the Panama Canal Zone. On June 22, the 1º GAVCA traveled to

12402-535: Was a reduction from the original order for 28 aircraft. This measure, which was taken as a financial austerity measure due to COVID-19, was less severe than early suggestions for as few as 15. At this point, four C-390s were in FAB service. As of June 2022, a C-390 from the Fat Squadron (1st/1st GT) of the FAB participated for the first time in the Brazilian Antarctic Campaign, dropping supply loads for

12519-486: Was also stated that the aircraft would be the operational successor to the Brazilian Air Force's C-130 fleet. According to Embraer, the selected jet engine is sufficiently resilient to dust ingestion, whereas propeller tips close to the ground are susceptible to damage. Embraer also chose the IAE V2500 engine for its efficiency under normal conditions, rather than prioritising its performance under unusual conditions, such as on

12636-460: Was decided to construct a pair of prototypes to participate in the test programme. On 21 October 2014, the first prototype (PT-ZNF) rolled out from the Embraer subsidiary plant, Embraer Defense and Security, at Gavião Peixoto , São Paulo . On 3   February 2015, the first prototype performed its maiden flight . In July 2015, the company announced a two-year delay in the flight test program, citing

12753-471: Was employed. On September 19, 1914, taking advantage of a special train driving troops, three aircraft were boarded: a Morane-Saulnier biplane, a Morane-Saulnier monoplane and a Blitzer SIT biplane. The train continued from Rio de Janeiro passing through São Paulo where it would reach the São Paulo – Rio Grande railway to the station of União da Vitória. Along the way, sparks shot through the locomotive, hitting

12870-477: Was formed on December 18, 1943. Its commanding officer was Aviation Lt.Col. Nero Moura. The group had 350 men, including 43 pilots. The group was divided into four flights: Red ("A"), Yellow ("B"), Blue ("C"), and Green ("D"). The CO of the group and some officers were not attached to any specific flight. Unlike the BEF's Army component, the 1º GAVCA had personnel who were experienced Brazilian Air Force pilots. One of them

12987-508: Was paid to passenger comfort. In 2014, the Brazilian government ordered 28 C-390s. There was the stated intention of progressively replacing the Brazilian Air Force's existing cargo aircraft fleet with the type, including its C-130s. The first C-390 was delivered to the Brazilian Air Force on 4 September 2019. The fleet of C-390s will be operated from Anápolis Air Force Base by the 1st Troop Transportation Group (1º GTT) Zeus and in Rio de Janeiro by

13104-585: Was responsible for the all aspects of the civil and military aviation including infrastructure, regulation and organization. Formally, the Ministry of Aeronautics was founded on January 20, 1941, and so its military branch called "National Air Forces", changed to "Brazilian Air Force" ( Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB ) on May, 22. The Army ( Aviação Militar ) and Navy ( Aviação Naval ) air branches were extinguished and all personnel, aircraft, installations and other related equipment were transferred to FAB. The Brazilian Air force made important contributions to

13221-648: Was soon supplanted by twinjets for the narrow-body market; Airbus with the A320 , and Boeing with the 757 and updated "classic" variants of the 737 . During that decade only McDonnell Douglas continued development of the trijet design with an update to the DC-10 , the MD-11 , which initially had a range advantage over its closest medium wide-body competitors which were twinjets, the in-production Boeing 767 and Airbus A300/A310. In contrast to McDonnell Douglas sticking with their existing trijet configuration, Airbus (which never produced

13338-473: Was temporarily detained in Brazil. On May 19, 1986, a series of radar and visual contacts with unidentified flying objects (UFOs) took place across the Brazilian states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Goiás, the Santa Cruz Air Force Base was put on alert due to the presence of several unidentified radar plots around São José dos Campos. Around half an hour later, Anápolis Air Force Base reports

13455-411: Was tested to the limits of speed, Mach number , and altitude, as well as all slats , flaps and landing gear positions. In March 2016, the second prototype (PT-ZNJ) was completed. It conducted its first flight in April 2016. By then, Richard Aboulafia 's Teal Group estimated the C-390's price to be around $ 50–55 million, which was $ 15 million below that of the competing Hercules. On 17 October 2017,

13572-467: Was the scheduled date for a heavy attack on the rebels. The mission was to fly over the Valley of Santa Maria, to launch bombs on the rebels' stronghold, and to observe and direct the shots of the artillery and the advance of the infantry. Two Morane-Saulnier aircraft took off, but the attack was canceled due to adverse weather conditions, for the aircraft piloted by then lieutenant-aviator Ricardo Kirk suffered

13689-474: Was used for short-range narrow-bodied aircraft such as the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 737 . The Airbus A300 was initially not successful when first produced as a short-range widebody, as airlines operating the A300 on short-haul routes had to reduce frequencies to try and fill the high-capacity aircraft, and lost passengers to airlines operating more frequent narrow-body flights. However, after

#465534