Since June 28, the Air Force has made 84 flights in support of the biome
Air Force Agency, by Lieutenant Mônica Lopes And Lieutenant Scarlet
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) has been working, under the coordination of the Joint Command of Operation Pantanal II, to fight fires in the southern Mato Grosso biome since June 28th. On Monday (19/08), the KC-390 Millennium reached the significant milestone of more than 1 million liters of water dropped in the biome region.
On this mission, the KC-390 Millennium, operated by the First Troop Transport Group (1st GTT) – Squadron Zeus – based at Anápolis Air Base (BAAN), was equipped for the first time with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS), making a decisive contribution to containing the flames. The system consists of a tube that projects water through the aircraft’s left rear door, capable of discharging up to 12,000 liters in just 7 seconds over areas affected by the fire.
The Commander of the First Squadron Transport Group (1º GTT) – Zeus Squadron – Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Américo Pereira, highlighted the importance of reaching the milestone of 1 million liters of water released during Operation Pantanal with the KC-390 Millennium aircraft. “This milestone is a reflection of the commitment and dedication of the entire team involved, which is committed to fighting the fires in the Pantanal with precision and efficiency.
Each mission was carefully planned, starting with the identification of fire outbreaks, followed by coordination with ground teams and other aircraft, ensuring that every drop of water was used as effectively as possible. The MAFFS 2 system demonstrated its capacity and reliability, allowing us to achieve this significant result,” said the Commander.
Understanding how MAFFS works
The Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System weighs around six tons without water and installation on the KC-390 Millennium requires between six and eight hours of work. The preparation of the aircraft involves a specialized team made up of military personnel from the Electrical and Mechanical areas.
When a firefighting mission is triggered, as happened in the Pantanal, the KC-390 Millennium’s MAFFS is supplied with water from two pools installed next to the aircraft, each with a capacity of 24,000 liters. In addition to water, the system uses compressed air to pressurize the liquid when it is dropped on the fire outbreaks. The entire refueling process takes an average of 30 minutes, allowing for a quick take-off to continue fighting the flames.
Photos: Archive