The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) carried out the induction of the second Airbus A330-300 (KC-30 FAB 2902) to the Corsair Squadron, on Thursday, November 3rd.
The widebody jet was acquired through Azul Linhas Aéreas and was stored in Europe after having flown by Avianca in both Colombia and Brazil.
Following being painted with FAB colors in Ireland and flying to the United States for bureaucratic dealings, the second KC-30 landed in Brazil on October 25th.
The plans of the current Air Force Commander, Brigadier Carlos de Almeida Baptista Junior, are to transform the two A330-200s into MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) aircraft, offered by Airbus, which converts the passenger jet for aerial refueling.
However, the contract status for conversion so far is not known. It is unclear whether the Air Force will bid or simply strike an agreement with Airbus to perform the service on the grounds that there is no other option on the market.
Change in Air Force Command
The acquisition of the A330 was one of the sudden actions taken by Baptista Júnior, who took office in April 2021 in place of Brigadier Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez, who was fired from the Air Force Command along with the holders of the Navy and Army Commands and the then Defense Minister, General Fernando Azevedo e Silva.
Since then, the current commander has modified several long-term Air Force programs, canceling projects and reducing the order for 28 Embraer KC-390 airlifters to just 19 aircraft.
At the same time, Baptista Júnior has expanded the purchase of F-39 Gripen fighter jets to 40 jets and is negotiating a second batch with Saab, although he often cites that management faces financial constraints.
Appointed by the current Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, Baptista Junior has less than two months at the helm of the Air Force Command as he is expected to leave office on January 1, 2023.
The winner of the October 30 presidential election, leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, intends to appoint senior officers to command the three armed forces, according to local media.
