First KC-390 Transport Aircraft Arrives in Hungary

Hungary’s first KC-390 military transport aircraft has arrived in the country – announced MoD State Secretary for Defence Policy, Force Development and Defence Industry Zsolt Kutnyánszky in press conference held on the Kecskemét airbase on 12 April.

He said that this year the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) would procure two Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft, which are scheduled to arrive in Hungary as their home station at the end of this year and next year, respectively. At present, one of them is staying for three weeks at Kecskemét in the last phase of the testing period.

Speaking about the new transport aircraft, Zsolt Kutnyánszky said that it can be configured to carry 80 troops in fighting order and also to accommodate an Intensive Care Unit/Patient Transport Unit with beds. It can transport up to 26 tons of payload, and is suitable for cargo airdrop as well as for air-to-air refueling – said the state secretary, adding that the 35-meter-long aircraft has a maximum speed of 800 km/h, and its service ceiling may even reach 8000 meters.