It is responsible for integrating the national territory, with connections, often all over the world. It fulfills cargo transport missions, transfers the sick and wounded who need urgent care, helps fight forest fires and is always alert to be engaged in the defense of the national territory.
Recently, he was instrumental in Repatriation and COVID-19 operations. In everyday life, however, it operates in several other missions. June 12th is dedicated to it: Transport Aviation. The date recalls one of its most famous missions: the National Air Mail (CAN).
On that day, in 1931, Lieutenants Nelson Freire Lavenére Wanderley and Casimiro Montenegro Filho performed what was considered the first CAN flight in history. On board a Curtiss Fledgling K-263, they left Rio de Janeiro (RJ) and took a pouch with two letters to São Paulo (SP).
Thus, 91 years later, Transport Aviation remains even more strategic for the FAB and for Brazil due to its role, as it encomes airborne assault missions, search and rescue, aeromedical evacuation, in-flight refueling, firefighting, exfiltration and aerial infiltration.
In all, the FAB has 13 Air Units that operate in this area, headquartered in Manaus (AM), Belém (PA), Parnamirim (RN), Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Canoas (RS), Campo Grande (MS), Anápolis (GO) and Brasília (DF).
For the missions, the squadrons use the aircraft KC-390 Millennium, C-130 Hércules, C-105 Amazonas, C-99, C-97 Brasília, C-98 Caravan, C-95 Bandeirante, U-100 Phenom and, in the near future, the KC-30.
More Operational Fat Squadron
In March 2022, the First Squadron of the First Transport Group (1st/1st GT) took delivery of the first two KC-390 Millennium aircraft.
On the occasion, the Commander of the Preparation Command, Lieutenant-Brigadier Sergio Roberto de Almeida, highlighted that the reception of the freighters by the Fat Squadron is a new phase of the deployment of the KC-390 in the FAB.
“This project started being implemented in Anápolis and, today, it is already in operation in Rio de Janeiro, the birthplace of Transport Aviation. Thus, the Unit can put into practice everything it has learned in the several years of operation with the C-130, becoming more and more efficient”, scored.
Operation Repatriation
Efficiency and versatility are two of the words that best define the KC-390. Due to this versatility, the largest multi-mission military aircraft in the southern hemisphere was chosen to repatriate Brazilians who left Ukraine because of the war.
“On the way to Warsaw, Poland, where the engers boarded, the aircraft took about 12 tons of donations in humanitarian aid to the European country. Once the cargo landed, the space was reconfigured to offer an extra bathroom, meals and enough conditions for everyone to return to Brazil with the maximum possible comfort”, explained the commander of the aircraft in the mission, Major Aviator Anderson Dias Santiago.
Acquisition of two KC-30
Aiming at an even greater leap forward in the Transport Aviation operation, on April 18, the FAB signed a contract for the acquisition of two model aircraft A330-200 (KC-30), compatible with the military version A330 MRTT (Multi -Role Tanker Transport).
The company Azul SA was declared the winner for meeting all the bidding requirements, submitting an offer of R$ 375 million reais, at current quotations. The acquisition aims to fill FAB's operational shortcomings in strategic actions, such as In-Flight Refueling (REVO), Logistic Air Transport (of cargo and engers) and Humanitarian Aid.
In situations of public calamity, such as natural disasters, pandemics or medical emergencies, the plane can also carry out Aeromedical Evacuation (EVAM) missions for a large number of patients.
A strategic transport and REVO multimission vector is characterized by being able to transport engers, in a conventional commercial cabin, and a large volume of cargo in the holds, on long-haul flights. The same cabin can be quickly reconfigured to fulfill aeromedical evacuation missions, that is, it can be molded according to operational needs, with great flexibility.
Thus, with the combination of the operational potential of the aircraft that are already in operation and those that will soon be incorporated into the squadrons, the FAB guarantees, even more effectively, the maintenance of the sovereignty of the airspace and integration of the national territory, with a view to the defense from the homeland.
With Brazilian air force
