Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – Among the many traditions of the barracks, farewell ceremonies are a highlight. But it’s not just farewells to military personnel who go into the reserve or to other military organizations; aircraft also have their farewells.
This was the case on the morning of January 30 at the Paratrooper Infantry Brigade: the troops said goodbye to the C-130 Hercules aircraft. The ceremony marked the end of a generation of paratroopers’ experience with 29 Hercules aircraft operated by the Brazilian Air Force. During the time they were deployed, they carried out various missions, such as operations Saci and Bumerangue, as well as being part of the training of more than 40,000 military paratroopers.
The farewell began with a graduation ceremony in honor of the aircraft’s time in service, followed by the last take-off of the Hercules in the service of the Parachute Infantry Brigade, with 64 soldiers jumping.
From the C-130 Hercules to the KC-390 Millennium
Manufactured by the American company Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, the development of the Hercules dates back to the YC-130 prototype, which flew for the first time in 1954. With more than 2,500 units manufactured, its versatility has led to it being adopted by some 63 armies around the world. For the Brazilian Armed Forces, the story of the Hercules begins in 1964 with the arrival of the first units in the C-130E version, replacing the Douglas C-47 Dakota and the Fairchild C-82 Packet, which were commissioned in the 1st Fleet of the 1st Transport Group at Galeão Airport.
The C-130 Hercules, also called the “giant” by paratroopers. It has now been replaced by the KC-390 Millennium, manufactured by Embraer, a company that makes up the Defense Industrial Base. Manufactured domestically, the plane inherits the best features of its predecessor.
