Curious about the size of the KC-390’s cargo hold? 🤩
It’s spacious enough to accommodate a HIMARS!
On July 15th, at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, the United States Army’s M142 HIMARS rocket launcher was successfully loaded onto an Embraer KC-390 Millennium of the Portuguese Air Force (FAP). This significant test highlighted the robust capabilities of the KC-390 in enhancing NATO’s interoperability.
According to the United States Air Force (USAF), the operation aimed to develop validated load plans to ensure that the HIMARS system can be efficiently loaded and transported using Embraer aircraft in future missions. This exercise is a critical step in improving rapid deployment and mobility strategies among allied forces.
The joint training involved artillery from the 4th Battalion of the 133rd Field Artillery Regiment of the American Army, which was successfully loaded onto the FAP aircraft by the 506 Rhinoceros Squadron. This operation highlighted the seamless collaboration between the military forces of both nations.
This operation underscores the versatility and capability of the Embraer KC-390 Millennium, a multi-mission transport aircraft designed for both tactical and strategic airlift operations. Capable of performing a wide range of missions, including cargo and troop transport, medical evacuation, and aerial refueling, the KC-390 proved its adaptability to diverse military needs with the successful loading of the HIMARS launcher.
The HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a highly mobile artillery rocket system capable of launching multiple rocket types, providing the U.S. Army with a reliable and powerful long-range precision strike capability. The ability to rapidly deploy such a system is a vital component of modern military strategy, offering enhanced flexibility and responsiveness in dynamic operational environments.
A crew from the 506th Squadron, together with US military personnel, tested the KC-390 aircraft’s ability to carry a HIMARS vehicle, a mobile rocket launch platform. The exercise, successfully concluded, demonstrates the capability of allied countries to operate together, particularly in the realm of tactical airlift.
With an overall length of 35.20 meters and a wingspan of 35.05 meters, the KC-390 boasts a cargo compartment measuring 18.50 meters in length, 3.45 meters in width, and 3.20 meters in height.
Written by: Katerina Urbanova
Source: https://www.ramstein.af.mil, DVIDS
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
