Portugal shows the capabilities of its KC-390 aircraft by carrying a Black Hawk helicopter

The Portuguese Air Force is undergoing significant improvements to its aircraft fleet in several areas.

Portuguese Air Force shows off its first A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft
The LUS-222, the first aircraft made in Portugal and which aims to replace the Spanish Aviocar

In July, I already wrote here about the purchase of 12 Embraer A-29N Super Tucano attack aircraft for the Portuguese Air Force (FAP), an aircraft manufactured in Brazil. Furthermore, in November 2023, Portugal confirmed the purchase of nine UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters, to be used as firefighting aircraft. It may seem like an odd use for a Black Hawk, but Portugal suffers severe waves of forest fires every summer, and the country lacks the necessary air resources to combat the problem. This is why Portugal also ordered two DHC-515 amphibious aircraft in 2024, specialized for such missions.

The Portuguese Air Force is in the process of receiving these helicopters. On October 9, Maceda Air Base received the fifth UH-60A destined for Esquadra 551 "Panteras".

The helicopter arrived aboard one of the new Embraer KC-390 Millennium transport aircraft purchased by Portugal and part of Esquadra 506 "Rinocerontes", a unit based in Beja whose missions include air transport, in-flight refueling, and firefighting.

The Portuguese government announced the purchase of five KC-390s in July 2017. The purchase of one more aircraft was confirmed in June 2025. So far, the Portuguese Air Force has already received three of them.

Manufactured in Brazil, the C-390 is a tactical transport aircraft that can also be used as a tanker aircraft (as is the case with the KC-390 variant acquired by Portugal), as a search and rescue (SAR) aircraft, and as a firefighting aircraft. In December 2024, Embraer announced an anti-submarine and maritime patrol version, the C-390 IVR, destined for the Brazilian Air Force.

The C-390 can carry 26,000 kg of cargo, 80 equipped soldiers, 66 paratroopers, or 74 stretchers with 8 attendants. The aircraft is 35.2 meters long and has a wingspan of 35.05 meters.

The transport capacity of the C-390 is very similar to that of a C-130 Hercules, an aircraft that the Portuguese Air Force has been using since 1977, with four units active in the Esquadra 501 "Bisontes" that will remain in service until 2040, after being modernized and according to current forecasts.

The C-390's cargo bay measures 18.5 meters long, 3 meters wide, and 3.4 meters high. This is enough space to transport a UH-60 with its tail folded and main rotor removed, as seen in these images.

Equipped with two IAE V2500-E5 turbofan engines, the C-390 can reach a speed of 988 km/h and has a service ceiling of 11,000 meters and a maximum range of 8,460 km.

Currently, the C-390 already has eleven buyers: Brazil, Austria, the Czech Republic, South Korea, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, and one undisclosed customer. This aircraft is a cheaper option for operators with limited resources who cannot afford aircraft like the A400M Atlas or the C-17.

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Photos: Força Aérea Portuguesa.