Uruguayan Air Force Enhances Fleet with New Embraer C-120 Brasilia for Medical Evacuations

The Uruguayan Air Force (FAU) received an Embraer C-120 Brasilia, which will perform passenger transport and medical evacuation missions. With the arrival of this new aircraft, the FAU strengthens its operational capacity, now having two units of this model in its fleet.

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The aircraft was presented at Air Base No. 1, located at Montevideo’s Carrasco International Airport (MDV), during a ceremony attended by Deputy Defense Minister Marcelo Montaner and Air Force Commander-in-Chief, General of the Air Luis de León.

Marcelo Montaner emphasized that «this is a very important addition because this aircraft has specific capabilities, such as medical transport.» The Embraer C-120 Brasilia is a Brazilian-manufactured aircraft designed for flights of up to six hours, boasting a cruising speed of 300 knots.

The Air Force Commander-in-Chief, Luis de León, stated that «for the Air Force, this is a strategically required asset, as we were replacing the Bandeirantes with a new platform. While this platform is already used, it is from 1999 and, in reality, meets the needs we already had with the other Brasilia, the FAU 550, providing us with strategic capacity in the sense that we now have two aircraft to meet our needs.»

«The capabilities of this aircraft for specialized transport and having a pressurized aircraft, when until now we only had the Hercules for those conditions, significantly enhance our ability to assist the public. The aircraft can operate across all of Uruguay and is prepared for that. It is a regional aircraft that can cover the entire region; we can reach Brazil without issues, as well as Santiago or any location in the Americas,» added Commander Luis de León.

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The configuration of the new Embraer C-120, registered as FAU 551, can accommodate up to 30 passengers in its passenger transport version or switch to a layout that allows for 23 passengers and one stretcher. The stretcher, located in the rear of the cabin, is equipped to transport all types of patients.

The FAU 551 will complement the Air Force’s capacity alongside its Lockheed C-130 Hercules, with the advantage that the C-120 Brasilia features a pressurized cabin, improving travel conditions for patients. Additionally, the aircraft can operate in regional or small airports, facilitating medical evacuations for those in need, wherever they may be.