In view of the imminent decommissioning of its Hercules C-130 transport planes, the Brazilian Air Force began a series of events as a tribute as part of the farewell to the weapon system. The main ceremony took place last Thursday, February 29th, at Galeao Air Base, where flyovers and the installation of a commemorative monument were conducted.
The event was led by Brigadier Sergio Roberto de Almeida, accompanied by aviation authorities and former crew members of the “Gordo” Squadron, the unit that houses the C-130s. After speeches and gift presentations, the ceremony concluded with a flyover of a C-130 accompanied by its replacement, the Embraer KC-390 Millennium.
Regarding this, the Commander of the 1st/1st GT, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Umile Coelho Rende, pointed out the importance that the C-130 had throughout its operational history in the FAB, stating that “When we remember everything we experienced aboard this imposing four-engine aircraft, all the experiences we shared with our uniformed colleagues, all the challenges we overcame in the most diverse foreign borders, all the history we built in these 59 years, we feel categorical in affirming: this plane represents us!”
It was introduced in 1965 to replace the veteran Douglas C-47 Dakota and the Fairchild C-82 Packet, the FAB operated 29 C-130s including the E, H, and KC versions for in-flight refueling, reaching 370,000 flight hours. The legacy of the “Gordos” will be continued by the new C/KC-390 Millennium, of which the construction and delivery of a total of 19 units are planned.
Among the most important milestones are peacekeeping missions in Haiti, humanitarian support to neighboring countries such as Chile, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, search operations for the Gol 1907 and Air France 447 planes in the Atlantic Ocean, firefighting in Chile and Colombia, support to various entities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and support for the Brazilian Antarctic Program (PROANTAR) since 1983.
As part of one of its last operational activities, the Joint Exercise with the Brazilian Army on January 30th stands out, in which the Parachute Infantry Brigade conducted an activity that included the deployment of 64 paratroopers. Over nearly six decades, these aircraft allowed the training and formation of 40 thousand personnel in this specialty.
On the other hand, the C/KC-390 will allow an increase in the tactical transport capabilities of the FAB, thanks to its autonomy, payload capacity, operations on unprepared runways, standing out from the Hercules for higher speed and modularity for different missions. Being to date the greatest milestone in the Brazilian aeronautical industry, this aircraft has already been selected by Hungary, Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, and South Korea, with the horizon of covering the transport needs of India in the medium term.
You may also like: Embraer aims to position the C-390 as a solid option for renewing Asian Air Force transport capabilities
