Brazilian Air Force - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces". Both air branches transferred their equipment, installations and personnel to the new force.

The FAB is the largest air force in Latin America, with about 670 aircraft in service, and 73,000 personnel on active duty. An additional 7,655 civilian personnel are employed.

Creation

The establishment of the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

in 1918 and the creation of the Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica

Regia Aeronautica

The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...

) and the French Air Force

French Air Force

The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...

during the 1920s drove the idea of uniting Brazilian air power under the same organization. Together with these events the Brazilian strategists were also influenced by the theories of Giulio Douhet

Giulio Douhet

General Giulio Douhet was an Italian general and air power theorist. He was a key proponent of strategic bombing in aerial warfare...

, Billy Mitchell and Hugh Montague Trenchard.

The first public manifest to create an integrated military air service came up in 1928 when an army Major called Lysias Rodrigues wrote an article called "An urgent need: The Ministry of the Air" ("Uma premente necessidade: o Ministério do Ar"). Two years later the French Military Mission, working for the Brazilian Army, made the first steps to organize a national air arm. The idea got more support when a group of Brazilian airmen came from Italy in 1934 and explained the advantages of having a military aviation unified. Also, the Spanish Revolution

Spanish Revolution

The Spanish Revolution was a workers' social revolution that began during the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 and resulted in the widespread implementation of anarchist and more broadly libertarian socialist organizational principles throughout various portions of the country for two to...

and the first movements of World War II at the end of the thirties showed the importance of Air power for military strategies.

One of the main supporters of the plan to create an independent air arm was the then-president Getúlio Vargas

Getúlio Vargas

Getúlio Dornelles Vargas served as President of Brazil, first as dictator, from 1930 to 1945, and in a democratically elected term from 1951 until his suicide in 1954. Vargas led Brazil for 18 years, the most for any President, and second in Brazilian history to Emperor Pedro II...

. He organized a study group early in 1940

1940 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1940:- Events :* The worlds first high-performance, purpose-built night fighter, the British Bristol Beaufighter, enters combat.* The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation absorbs the Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corporation....

and the whole structure of the Ministry of Aeronautics (Ministério da Aeronáutica) was established the end of that year. This new governmental agency was responsible for the all aspects of the civil and military aviation including infrastructure, regulation and organization.

Formally, the Ministry of Aeronautics was founded on January 20, 1941 and so its military branch called "National Air Forces", changed to "Brazilian Air Force" (Força Aérea Brasileira - FAB) on May, 22. The Army ("Aviação Militar") and Navy ("Aviação Naval") air branches were extinguished and all personnel, aircraft, installations and other related equipment were transferred to FAB.

World War II

Brazilian Air Force 1941-1945: Boeing Stearman

Boeing Stearman

|-See also:-Bibliography:* Avis, Jim and Bowman, Martin. Stearman: A Pictorial History. Motorbooks, 1997. ISBN 0-76030-479-3.* Bowers, Peter M. Boeing Aircraft since 1916. London:Putnam, 1989. ISBN 0-85177-804-6....

, Beechcraft Staggerwing

Beechcraft Staggerwing

The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative stagger , that first flew in 1932.-Development:...

, Beechcraft Model 18

Beechcraft Model 18

The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...

, Curtiss Falcon

Curtiss Falcon

The Curtiss Falcon is a family of military biplane aircraft built by the United States aircraft manufacturer Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company during the 1920s. Most saw service as part of the United States Army Air Corps as observation aircraft with the designations O-1 and O-11, or as the...

, Curtiss P-36 Hawk, Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Consolidated PBY Catalina, Douglas B-18 Bolo, Douglas A-20 Havoc, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Focke-Wulf Fw 58, Fairchild PT-19

Fairchild PT-19

|-See also:-Bibliography:* Mondey, David. American Aircraft of World War II . London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7537-1461-4....

, Lockheed L-18 Lodestar, Lockheed Hudson

Lockheed Hudson

The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...

, Lockheed Ventura

Lockheed Ventura

The Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises...

, North American B-25 Mitchell, North American T-6 Texan

North American T-6 Texan

The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...

, Vought O2U Corsair, Vultee BT-13 Valiant, Vultee A-19

Vultee A-19

The Vultee V-11 and V-12 were American attack aircraft of the 1930s. Developments of the Vultee V-1 single-engined airliner, the V-11 and V-12 were purchased by several nation's armed forces, including China, who used them in combat against Japanese forces in the Second Sino-Japanese War...

(V-11), P-47 Thunderbolt

P-47 Thunderbolt

Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...

Italian front

Equipped with American aircraft, mainly aircraft deemed less necessary on Italy by the USAF, such as the P-47 Thunderbolt

P-47 Thunderbolt

, the FAB saw action on the Italian front

Italian Campaign (World War II)

The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...

.

Brazilian Air force contribution in the Italian front:

Executed Missions - 445
Offensive - 2,546
Defensive - 4
Flight hours in the war - 5,465
Total flight hours - 6,144
Launched Bombs - 4,442
Caliber ammunition 0.50 - 1,180,200
Rockets - 850
Gasoline consumed - 4,058,651

Targets Targets Targets is a thriller film written, produced and directed by Peter Bogdanovich.-Plot summary:The story concerns a quiet insurance agent / Vietnam veteran, played by Tim O'Kelly, who murders his young wife, his mother and a grocery delivery boy at home and then initiates an afternoon shooting...	Destroyed Destroyed Destroyed is the first full length studio album by punk band Sloppy Seconds. It was released in 1989 on Toxic Shock records. The album cover is a parody of the Kiss album Destroyer from 1976.-Track listing:#"I Don't Wanna Be A Homosexual"...	Damaged Damaged Damaged is the debut studio album by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag. It was released in December 1981 through SST Records. In 2003, the album was ranked number 340 on Rolling Stones list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time....
Aircraft Aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...	2	9
Locomotive Locomotive A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th... s	13	92
vehicles	1,304	686
Wagons and tank cars	250	835
Armored cars	8	13
Bridges, railroad and highways	25	51
Cuts railroad and location	412
Buildings occupied	144	94
Enemy camps	1	4
Artillery Artillery Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons... positions	85	15
Enemy accommodation	3	8
Factory Factory A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...	6	5
Enemy facilities	125	54
Electric plants	5	4
Fuel and ammunition deposits	31	15
Oil refineries Oil refinery An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...	3	2
Radar Radar Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio... stations	2
Boat Boat A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a... s	19	1
Ship Ship Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...	1

Battle of the Atlantic

Brazilian Navy and the Brazilian Air Force acted in the Atlantic Ocean from mid 1942 until the end of the war.

German submarine U-199
German submarine U-199
German submarine U-199 was a Type IXD2 U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. U-199 was sunk off the Brazilian coast in 1943 by a combination of attacks by Brazilian and American planes....

Sunk 31 July, 1943 in the South Atlantic east of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by depth charges from one American Mariner aircraft (VP-74) and two Brazilian aircraft (Catalina and Hudson) Brazilian Air Force. 49 dead and 12 survivors.

Post World War II

After the war, the FAB began flying the British Gloster Meteor

Gloster Meteor

The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...

jet fighter. The jets were purchased from the British for 15,000 tons of crude cotton

Cotton

Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....

, as Brazil had no foreign currency

Currency

In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...

reserves to spare. The jet was operated by the FAB until the mid-1960s, when it was replaced by the F-80C

P-80 Shooting Star

The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed in 1943 as a response to the German Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter, and delivered in just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying but...

and TF-33A, which were later replaced by the MB-326, Mirage III

Dassault Mirage III

The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...

and F-5 jets.

Cold War

During the Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

, the Brazilian Republic

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

was aligned with the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

and NATO. This meant that the F-5 could be bought cheaply from the United States, who called this jet

Jet aircraft

A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...

the "Freedom Fighter". Many other countries, such as Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

, also benefited from this policy.

The Embraer

Embraer

Embraer S.A. is a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and executive aircraft and provides aeronautical services....

(Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica, Brazilian Aeronautic Co.) has its origins as an enterprise directly managed and sponsored by the FAB. Working with Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

corporations, it developed the new AMX attack aircraft (known locally as A-1) which makes up the backbone of the FAB's attack force. The successful Tucano T-27 trainer and the new light attack aircraft "A-29," are also Embraer aircraft used extensively by the FAB.

Present

In the early 2000s, with renewed economic stability, the FAB underwent an extensive renewal of its inventory through several acquisition programs, the most ambitious of which was the acquisition of 36 new front-line interceptor aircraft to replace its aging Mirage III. Known as F-X Project the program was postponed once again in 2005. The competitors were the French Dassault Rafale

Dassault Rafale

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...

, the Swedish SAAB-BAE Gripen

JAS 39 Gripen

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force...

, and the American F/A-18 Super Hornet.

On July 15, 2005 one agreement was set with the French government for the transfer of twelve Dassault Mirage 2000s (ten "C" and two "B" versions) second-hand ex-Armée de L'Air

French Air Force

. Known as F-2000s in Brazil, the first two aircraft arrived at Anápolis Air Base on September 4, 2006.

On November 4, 2007 the F-X Project underwent a small change. Now known as Project F-X2 and with a bigger budget, the competitors for acquisition were the Eurofighter Typhoon

Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...

, Sukhoi

Sukhoi

Sukhoi Company is a major Russian aircraft manufacturer, headquartered in Begovoy District, Northern Administrative Okrug, Moscow, famous for its fighters...

Su-35

Sukhoi Su-35

The Sukhoi Su-35 is a single-seat, twin-engined supermaneuverability multirole fighter. It is a derivative of the Su-27 'Flanker', and was initially known as the Su-27M. More than a dozen of these were built with some used by the Russian Knights aerobatic demonstration team...

, Saab

Saab

Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...

Gripen

JAS 39 Gripen

, Dassault

Dassault Aviation

Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets, a subsidiary of Dassault Group.It was founded in 1930 by Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marcel Bloch changed his name to Marcel Dassault, and the name of the...

Rafale

Dassault Rafale

, Boeing

Boeing Integrated Defense Systems

Boeing Defense, Space & Security formerly known as Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a unit of The Boeing Company responsible for defense and aerospace products and services. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems was formed in 2002 by combining the former "Military Aircraft and Missile Systems"...

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a twin-engine carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E single-seat variant and F/A-18F tandem-seat variant are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm gun and can carry air-to-air...

and, although information on Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....

's F-35 Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...

was requested, Lockheed Martin presented an F-16 Fighting Falcon

F-16 Fighting Falcon

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...

variant (designated F-16BR). In October 2008, FAB released a shortlist of 3 aircraft: SAAB Gripen NG

JAS 39 Gripen

, Dassault

Dassault Aviation

Rafale

Dassault Rafale

and Boeing

Boeing Integrated Defense Systems

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

. In February 2009, the three companies provided their final bids. In September 2009, following a surprise French visit to Brazil, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...

and Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....

, from France, made a new military cooperation agreement. Lula, on an interview at TV5 Monde, said French Rafale

Dassault Rafale

is a step forward, since technology transfer would be effective.

On September 7, 2009, Brazilian Independence Day, it was announced Brazil would negotiate 36 Dassault Rafale

Dassault Rafale

. But the Defence Minister did not confirm if it is the final decision.

On January 5, 2010, after extreme lobbying by Air Force Officers and Commanders, it was reported in the media that the final evaluation report by the Brazilian Air Force placed the SAAB Gripen NG

JAS 39 Gripen

ahead of the other contenders. The decisive factor was apparently the overall cost of the new fighters, both in terms of unit cost, and operating and maintenance costs, and the personal preference of the test pilots. Rafale was reported to not even be the second choice. It was announced in February 2011 that the decision would be further delayed due to budget cuts.

Other programs, however, were successfully completed and included the following (as of May 2007):

ALX (Light Attack Aircraft) Program - 99 Super Tucano aircraft. Being delivered.
F-5M Program - Upgrade of Northrop F-5 to F-5EM standard. Include new radar, avionics and weapons systems. Being delivered.
CL-X (Medium Transport Aircraft) - Replacement of DHC-5 Buffalo aircraft. 12 CASA C-295 aircraft acquired. Being delivered.
P-X (Maritime Patrol) Program- Replacement of EMB-111A aircraft for modernized P-3
P-3 Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...

airframes with EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...

avionics. Being implemented.
Interim Mirage 2000C purchase. Delivered as June 2008.
Acquisition of presidential transport aircraft, known as FAB 001
FAB 001
Brazilian Air Force One is the Brazilian Air Force call sign of the aircraft carrying the President of Brazil. On international flights the aircraft uses the Brazilian Air Force ICAO code BRS01 and callsign Brazilian Air Force 01...

. An Airbus ACJ was bought and delivered in 2005.
Acquisition of 18 'Super Cougar'
Eurocopter EC 725
-See also:-External links:* * * *...

. VIP Transport and Military transport should be their primary function.
A-1M Program - Upgrade of the AMX International AMX in use in FAB. Include a new radar, HMD, new RWR, new FLIR, a new laser target designator, datalink, 3 MFCD and much more. Embraer announced that Elbit is going to develop the avionics to the A-1 through Aeroeletronica, Brazilian subsidiary of Elbit. The program is delayed and should be finished until 2014.
AT-27M and C-95M Programs - Upgrade of 60 AT-27
Embraer EMB 312 Tucano
The Embraer EMB 312 Tucano is a two seat turboprop basic trainer developed in Brazil. The prototype first flew in 1980 and initial production units were delivered in 1983. The Tucano family of aircraft became one of Embraer's first international marketing successes, with 600 units produced...

and 80 C-95
Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante
The Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante is a general purpose 15-21 passenger twin-turboprop light transport aircraft suitable for military and civil duties...

. Few details published.

Pending programs:

CT-X (Light Transport Aircraft) Program- To replace the C-95 Bandeirante. CASA C-212-400 Aviocar is likely choice.
F-X2 Program, However September 7, 2009, was announced that the Brazilian Government would buy the Dassault Rafale, however CIESP released an open letter that "the French fighter, if chosen, represents a defeat".

2008 order:

12 Mi-35M
Mil Mi-24 variants
The Mi-24 went from drawing board in 1968 to first test-flights in less than eighteen months. The first models were delivered to the armed forces for evaluation in 1971. The Hind-A did have a number of problems: lateral roll, weapon sighting problems, and limited field of view for the pilot...

helicopters
18 EC-725BR 'Super Cougar'
Eurocopter EC 725
-See also:-External links:* * * *...

helicopters
15 UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters

2010 order:

3 Elbit Hermes 450
Elbit Hermes 450
-Operators: *In June 2008, Azerbaijan ordered ten Hermes 450, choosing it over other drone models because of its "'invisibility' for the enemy's anti-aircraft defense." On September 12, 2011, a UAV was reportedly shot down by the air defense arm of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army over the...

Unmanned aerial vehicle
28 Embraer KC-390 military transport aircraft

2011 order

9 Saber Radar
Saber Radar
The Saber Radar, is a project of the Brazilian Army, with the objective of developing 100% Brazilian technology Air defense Radars. They are being developed by CTEx and OrbiSat, a Brazilian company, with funds from the Ministry of Science and Technology...

Radar

Cruzex

The most important training exercises and combat air of the South American Cruzex

South America air forces maneuvers

The South America air forces performs several joint aerial combat training exercises. Among the more important are Cruzex which is hosted by the Brazilian Air Force, Salitre hosted by the Chilean Air Force and Ceibo hosted by the Argentine Air Force...

is organized by the Brazilian Air Force.
Issues and participants:

Cruzex I 2002 , , ,
Cruzex II 2004 , , ,
Cruzex III 2006 , , , , ,
Cruzex IV 2008 , , , ,
Cruzex V 2010 , , , ,

Command structure

The Brazilian Air Force is the aerospace branch of the Brazilian armed forces and is managed by the "Aeronautics Command" (Comando da Aeronáutica - COMAer). The COMAer was created in 1999 and replaced the Ministry of Aeronautics. Now, the COMAer is one of the three armed forces assigned to the Ministry of Defense (Ministério da Defesa).

The COMAer is led by the "Aeronautics Commander" (Comandante da Aeronáutica). Unlike USAF, the Commander is a "Tenente-Brigadeiro-do-Ar" (the most senior rank used in the Air Force, which is essentially the same as a USAF four-star general). He is nominated by the President and reports directly to the Minister of Defense.

COMAer comprises six major components, four "General Commands" (Comandos-Gerais) and two "Departaments" (Departamentos). The "General Command of Air Operations" (Comando-Geral de Operações Aéreas - COMGAR), with headquarters in Brasilia, supervises most of the flying operations. As the main flying element, COMGAR administers several sub-formations in the form of four "Air Forces" (Forças Aéreas) and seven "Regional Air Commands" (Comandos Aéreos Regionais - COMAR).

Besides COMGAR, other major parallel organizations, which also report directly to the COMAer, are the "General Command of Support" (Comando-Geral de Apoio - COMGAP), "General Command of Personnel" (Comando-Geral de Pessoal - COMGEP), "General Command of Aerospatial Technology" (Comando-Geral de Tecnologia Aeroespacial - CTA), "Aeronautics Departament of Teaching" (Departamento de Ensino da Aeronáutica - DEPENS), "Departament of Civil Aviation" (Departamento de Aviação Civil - DAC) and "Departament of Airspace Control" (Departamento de Controle do Espaço Aéreo - DECEA).

Air units organization

At unit levels, "Groups

Group (air force)

A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases...

" (Grupos) usually consist of one to sixteen consecutively-numbered "Squadrons

Squadron (aviation)

A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...

" (Esquadrões), each with varying numbers of aircraft, usually from six to 12. Smaller formations are known as "Flights

Flight (military unit)

A flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages,...

" (Esquadrilhas). According to its tasks, a group has one of the following designations:

Air Defense Group: Grupo de Defesa Aérea (GDA): Air defense fighters. (Fighter Jets)
Transport Group: Grupo de Transporte (GT): Transport, Flight refueling
Aviation Group: Grupo de Aviação (GAv): Fighter, attack, reconnaissance, SAR, rotary wing
Fighter Aviation Group: Grupo de Aviação de Caça (GAvCa); Fighter, attack planes
Troop Transport Group: Grupo de Transporte de Tropas (GTT): Transports, troop carrying, parachutist drop
Special Flight Inspection Group: Grupo Especial de Inspeção em Vôo (GEIV): Calibration
Special Test Flights Group: Grupo Especial de Ensaios de Vôo (GEEV): Test flights
Special Transport Group: Grupo de Transporte Especial (GTE): VIP transport

Common used designations for squadrons are:

Air Transport Squadron: Esquadrão de Transporte Aéreo (ETA)
Air Training Squadron: Esquadrão de Instrução Aérea (EIA)
Demonstration flying team: Esquadrão de Demonstração Aérea
Smoke squadron
The Aerial Demonstration Squadron , popularly known as Smoke Squadron is the Brazilian Air Force's air demonstration squadron....

(EDA) (also called "Esquadrilha da Fumaça")

The air units are organized as follows:

COMGAR sub-formation	Air unit	Aircraft type	Air base
I FAe	1º/5º GAv	C-95	Natal Natal Air Force Base Natal Air Force Base – BANT is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Parnamirim, near Natal, Brazil.It shares some facilities with Augusto Severo International Airport.-History:...
	2º/5º GAv	A-29B	Natal Natal Air Force Base Natal Air Force Base – BANT is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Parnamirim, near Natal, Brazil.It shares some facilities with Augusto Severo International Airport.-History:...
	1º/11º GAv	UH-50 (HB-350B)	Natal Natal Air Force Base Natal Air Force Base – BANT is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Parnamirim, near Natal, Brazil.It shares some facilities with Augusto Severo International Airport.-History:...
II FAe	1º/7º GAv	P-95B,P-3AM	Salvador
	2º/7º GAv	P-95B	Florianópolis Florianópolis Air Force Base Florianópolis Air Force Base – BAFL is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Florianópolis, Brazil.It shares some facilities with Florianópolis-Hercílio Luz International Airport.-History:...
	3º/7º GAv	P-95A	Belém
	4º/7º GAv	P-95A	Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Air Force Base Santa Cruz Air Force Base – BASC is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.-History:The base was originally called Bartolomeu de Gusmão Airport and it was constructed to handle the operations with the rigid airships Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg...
	1º/8º GAv	UH-1H,H-36	Belém
	2º/8º GAv	AH-2(MI-35M)	Porto Velho Porto Velho Air Force Base Porto Velho Air Force Base – BAPV is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Porto Velho, Brazil.It shares some facilities shared with Porto Velho-Governador Jorge Teixeira de Oliveira International Airport.-Units:...
	3º/8º GAv	H-34,UH-55	Afonsos Afonsos Air Force Base Afonsos Air Force Base – BAAF is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The official name of the Base is Campo Délio Jardim de Matos after a former commander of the base and Minister of the Air Force.-History:...
	5º/8º GAv	H-60L	Santa Maria
	7º/8º GAv	H-60L	Manaus Manaus Air Force Base Manaus Air Force Base – BAMN is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Manaus, Brazil. It was created in 1970 and between 1970 and 1976 public facilities of Ponta Pelada Airport were shared with the military facilities of Manaus Air Force Base. In 1976, with the opening of Eduardo Gomes...
	2º/10º GAv	UH-1H,SC-95B,SC105A	Campo Grande
III FAe	1º/1º GAvCa	F-5EM,AT-27	Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Air Force Base Santa Cruz Air Force Base – BASC is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.-History:The base was originally called Bartolomeu de Gusmão Airport and it was constructed to handle the operations with the rigid airships Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg...
	2º/1º GAvCa	F-5EM,AT-27	Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Air Force Base Santa Cruz Air Force Base – BASC is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.-History:The base was originally called Bartolomeu de Gusmão Airport and it was constructed to handle the operations with the rigid airships Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg...
	1º GDA	F-2000,AT-27	Anápolis
	1º/3º GAv	AT-27,A-29,A-29B	Boa Vista
	2º/3º GAv	AT-27,A-29,A-29B	Porto Velho Porto Velho Air Force Base Porto Velho Air Force Base – BAPV is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Porto Velho, Brazil.It shares some facilities shared with Porto Velho-Governador Jorge Teixeira de Oliveira International Airport.-Units:...
	3º/3º GAv	AT-27,A-29,A-29B	Campo Grande
	1º/4º GAv	F-5EM,F-5FM	Manaus
	1º/6º GAv	R-35A,R-95	Recife
	2º/6º GAv	R-99A/B,C-98	Anápolis
	1º/10º GAv	A-1,A-1B	Santa Maria
	3º/10º GAv	RA-1,RA-1B	Santa Maria
	1º/14º GAv	F-5EM,F-5FM,AT-27	Canoas Canoas Air Force Base Canoas Air Force Base – BACO is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Canoas, Brazil.-History:The history of Canoas Air Force Base begins in 1937, when the 3rd Army Aviation Regiment was transferred from Santa Maria Air Force Base to Canoas. When the Air Force Ministry was created in...
	1º/12º GAv	Elbit Hermes 450 Elbit Hermes 450 -Operators: *In June 2008, Azerbaijan ordered ten Hermes 450, choosing it over other drone models because of its "'invisibility' for the enemy's anti-aircraft defense." On September 12, 2011, a UAV was reportedly shot down by the air defense arm of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army over the...	Santa Maria
	1º/16º GAv	A-1,A-1B	Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Air Force Base Santa Cruz Air Force Base – BASC is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.-History:The base was originally called Bartolomeu de Gusmão Airport and it was constructed to handle the operations with the rigid airships Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg...
V FAe	1º GTT	C-130H	Afonsos Afonsos Air Force Base Afonsos Air Force Base – BAAF is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The official name of the Base is Campo Délio Jardim de Matos after a former commander of the base and Minister of the Air Force.-History:...
	1º/1º GT	C-130H/KC-130H	Galeão Galeão Air Force Base Galeão Air Force Base – BAGL is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is named after Praia do Galeão , located in front of the original passenger terminal of the airport and presently the passenger terminal of the Brazilian Air Force...
	1º/2º GAv	C-99	Galeão Galeão Air Force Base Galeão Air Force Base – BAGL is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is named after Praia do Galeão , located in front of the original passenger terminal of the airport and presently the passenger terminal of the Brazilian Air Force...
	2º/2º GAv	KC-137	Galeão Galeão Air Force Base Galeão Air Force Base – BAGL is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is named after Praia do Galeão , located in front of the original passenger terminal of the airport and presently the passenger terminal of the Brazilian Air Force...
	1º/9º GAv	C-105A	Manaus Manaus Air Force Base Manaus Air Force Base – BAMN is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Manaus, Brazil. It was created in 1970 and between 1970 and 1976 public facilities of Ponta Pelada Airport were shared with the military facilities of Manaus Air Force Base. In 1976, with the opening of Eduardo Gomes...
	1º/15º GAv	C-105A	Campo Grande
I COMAR	1º ETA	C-95B,C-98,C-97	Belém
II COMAR	2º ETA	C-95,C-97	Recife
III COMAR	3º ETA	C-95B,C-97	Galeão Galeão Air Force Base Galeão Air Force Base – BAGL is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is named after Praia do Galeão , located in front of the original passenger terminal of the airport and presently the passenger terminal of the Brazilian Air Force...
IV COMAR	4º ETA	C-95A,C-97	São Paulo
V COMAR	5º ETA	C-95A,C-97	Canoas Canoas Air Force Base Canoas Air Force Base – BACO is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Canoas, Brazil.-History:The history of Canoas Air Force Base begins in 1937, when the 3rd Army Aviation Regiment was transferred from Santa Maria Air Force Base to Canoas. When the Air Force Ministry was created in...
VI COMAR	6º ETA	C-95c, VU-9,VC-97	Brasília
VII COMAR	7º ETA	C-97,C-98	Manaus Manaus Air Force Base Manaus Air Force Base – BAMN is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Manaus, Brazil. It was created in 1970 and between 1970 and 1976 public facilities of Ponta Pelada Airport were shared with the military facilities of Manaus Air Force Base. In 1976, with the opening of Eduardo Gomes...

Other air units are:

Major component	Air unit	Aircraft type	Air base
DECEA	GEIV	EC-95B/C,EU-93A	Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont
CTA	GEEV	A-1,XU-93,T-27,CH-55	São José dos Campos
DEPENS	1º EIA	T-27	Pirassununga
DEPENS	2º EIA	T-25A/C	Pirassununga
DEPENS	Clube de Vôo a Vela	U-19,Z-15,Z-16,TZ-13	Pirassununga
DEPENS	Support	C-95A,UH-50,U-7	Pirassununga
Reporting direct to Air Force cabinet	GTE	VC-1A,VC-2,VC-99C,VH-34,VH-55,VH-35	Brasília
Reporting direct to Air Force cabinet	EDA Smoke squadron The Aerial Demonstration Squadron , popularly known as Smoke Squadron is the Brazilian Air Force's air demonstration squadron....	T-27 Embraer EMB 312 Tucano The Embraer EMB 312 Tucano is a two seat turboprop basic trainer developed in Brazil. The prototype first flew in 1980 and initial production units were delivered in 1983. The Tucano family of aircraft became one of Embraer's first international marketing successes, with 600 units produced...	Pirassununga

The Air Force Bases of the Brazilian Air Force are:

Location	State	ICAO ICAO airport code The ICAO airport code or location indicator is a four-character alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. These codes are defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization, and published in ICAO Document 7910: Location Indicators.The ICAO codes are used by air traffic...	IATA IATA airport code An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier, is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association...	Airport name
Anápolis Anápolis Anápolis is the third largest city in the State of Goiás in Brazil. It lies in the center of a rich agricultural region and has become a leader in food processing and pharmaceutical plants.-Location and population:...	Goiás Goiás Goiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The name Goiás comes from the name of an indigenous community...	SBAN		Anápolis Air Force Base
Belém Belém Belém is a Brazilian city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará, in the country's north region. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station...	Pará Pará Pará is a state in the north of Brazil. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest it also borders Guyana and Suriname, and to the northeast it borders the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Belém.Pará is the most populous state...	SBBE		Belém Air Force Base
Boa Vista Boa Vista, Roraima Boa Vista is the capital of the Brazilian state of Roraima. Situated on the western bank of the River Branco, the city lies 220 km away from Brazil's border with Venezuela. It is the only Brazilian capital located entirely above the Equator...	Roraima Roraima Roraima is the northernmost and least populated state of Brazil, located in the Amazon region. It borders the states of Amazonas and Pará, as well as the nations of Venezuela and Guyana. The population is 400,000 and the capital is Boa Vista...	SBBV		Boa Vista Air Force Base
Brasília Brasília Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...	Federal District Brazilian Federal District The Federal District is set apart for Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Located in a region called Planalto Central, or Central Plateau, the Federal District is divided in 29 administrative regions. Brasilia - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main...	SBBR		Brasília Air Force Base
Campo Grande Campo Grande -Climate:Campo Grande has a highland tropical climate, semi-humid, hot, and notably seasonal, with a dry winter season from May through September or October. Under the Koppen climate classification Campo Grande features a tropical wet and dry climate, albeit a noticeably cooler version of the...	Mato Grosso do Sul Mato Grosso do Sul Mato Grosso do Sul is one of the states of Brazil.Neighboring Brazilian states are Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Paraná. It also borders the countries of Paraguay and Bolivia to the west. The economy of the state is largely based on agriculture and cattle-raising...	SBCG		Campo Grande Air Force Base
Canoas Canoas Canoas , which won city status in 1939, is the fourth largest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Its population is over 300,000 people. The city is adjacent to the capital of the gaúcho state: Porto Alegre...	Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...	SBCO		Canoas Air Force Base Canoas Air Force Base Canoas Air Force Base – BACO is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Canoas, Brazil.-History:The history of Canoas Air Force Base begins in 1937, when the 3rd Army Aviation Regiment was transferred from Santa Maria Air Force Base to Canoas. When the Air Force Ministry was created in...
Florianópolis Florianópolis -Climate:Florianópolis experiences a warm humid subtropical climate, falling just short of a true tropical climate. The seasons of the year are distinct, with a well-defined summer and winter, and characteristic weather for autumn and spring. Frost is infrequent, but occurs occasionally in the winter...	Santa Catarina Santa Catarina (state) Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...	SBFL		Florianópolis Air Force Base Florianópolis Air Force Base Florianópolis Air Force Base – BAFL is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Florianópolis, Brazil.It shares some facilities with Florianópolis-Hercílio Luz International Airport.-History:...
Fortaleza Fortaleza Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...	Ceará Ceará Ceará is one of the 27 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is currently the 8th largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the main touristic destinations in Brazil. The state capital is the city of...	SBFZ		Fortaleza Air Force Base
Guarulhos Guarulhos Guarulhos is the second largest city in the Brazilian state of São Paulo and a suburb of São Paulo city itself. In the last few years it has outgrown Campinas. The population in 2006 is 1,283,253, the density is 4,035.26 inh./km² and the area is 318 km²...	São Paulo São Paulo (state) São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...	SBGR	GRU	São Paulo Air Force Base
Manaus Manaus Manaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....	Amazonas	SBMN	PLL	Manaus Air Force Base Manaus Air Force Base Manaus Air Force Base – BAMN is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Manaus, Brazil. It was created in 1970 and between 1970 and 1976 public facilities of Ponta Pelada Airport were shared with the military facilities of Manaus Air Force Base. In 1976, with the opening of Eduardo Gomes...
Natal Natal, Rio Grande do Norte -History:The northeastern tip of South America, Cabo São Roque, to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, in the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci, who named the spot after the saint of the day...	Rio Grande do Norte Rio Grande do Norte Rio Grande do Norte is one of the states of Brazil, located in the northeastern region of the country, occupying the northeasternmost tip of the South American continent. Because of its geographic position, Rio Grande do Norte has a strategic importance. The capital and largest city is Natal...	SBNT		Natal Air Force Base Natal Air Force Base Natal Air Force Base – BANT is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Parnamirim, near Natal, Brazil.It shares some facilities with Augusto Severo International Airport.-History:...
Porto Velho Porto Velho Porto Velho is the capital of the Brazilian state of Rondônia, in the upper Amazon River basin. The population is estimated to be 426,558 people...	Rondônia Rondônia Rondônia is a state in Brazil, located in the north-western part of the country. To the west is a short border with the state of Acre, to the north is the state of Amazonas, in the east is Mato Grosso, and in the south is Bolivia. Its capital is Porto Velho. The state was named after Candido Rondon...	SBPV		Porto Velho Air Force Base Porto Velho Air Force Base Porto Velho Air Force Base – BAPV is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Porto Velho, Brazil.It shares some facilities shared with Porto Velho-Governador Jorge Teixeira de Oliveira International Airport.-Units:...
Recife Recife Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...	Pernambuco Pernambuco Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...	SBRF		Recife Air Force Base
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...	Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro (state) Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...	SBGL	GIG	Galeão Air Force Base Galeão Air Force Base Galeão Air Force Base – BAGL is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is named after Praia do Galeão , located in front of the original passenger terminal of the airport and presently the passenger terminal of the Brazilian Air Force...
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...	Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro (state) Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...	SBSC	SNZ	Santa Cruz Air Force Base Santa Cruz Air Force Base Santa Cruz Air Force Base – BASC is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.-History:The base was originally called Bartolomeu de Gusmão Airport and it was constructed to handle the operations with the rigid airships Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg...
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...	Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro (state) Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...	SBAF		Afonsos Air Force Base Afonsos Air Force Base Afonsos Air Force Base – BAAF is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The official name of the Base is Campo Délio Jardim de Matos after a former commander of the base and Minister of the Air Force.-History:...
Salvador Salvador, Bahia Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...	Bahia Bahia Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...	SBSV		Salvador Air Force Base
Santa Maria Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul Santa Maria is a municipality in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. In 2007, its population was 263,403 inhabitants in a total area of 1,823 km2.-Importance:...	Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...	SBSM		Santa Maria Air Force Base
Santos	São Paulo São Paulo (state) São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...	SBST	SSZ	Santos Air Force Base
Novo Progresso Novo Progresso Novo Progresso is a town and municipality in the state of Pará in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:...	Pará Pará Pará is a state in the north of Brazil. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest it also borders Guyana and Suriname, and to the northeast it borders the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Belém.Pará is the most populous state...	SBCC		Campo de Provas Brigadeiro Velloso Campo de Provas Brigadeiro Velloso Campo de Provas Brigadeiro Velloso – CPBV is a large complex of the Brazilian Armed Forces located in Serra do Cachimbo , in the southern part of Pará, Brazil. The complex includes the Cachimbo Airport operated by the Brazilian Air Force...

Operations

A recent operation of the FAB was the bombing of illegal landing sites in the Amazon Forest, used by drug dealers to transport drugs into and out of Brazil (see SIVAM). The operation also had support from the Brazilian Army

Brazilian Army

The Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. The Brazilian Army has fought in several international conflicts, mostly in South America and during the 19th century, such as the Brazilian War of Independence , Argentina-Brazil War , War of the Farrapos , Platine War , Uruguayan War ...

and Brazilian Federal Police

Brazilian Federal Police

The Polícia Federal is the federal police force of Brazil subordinate to the Ministry of Justice, whose main assignments are the investigations of crimes against the Federal Government or its organs and companies, the combat of international drug trafficking and terrorism, and immigration and...

with many drug

Drug

A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...

dealers being arrested as a result. The AMX Bomber/Fighter was the primary plane used.

The FAB is currently working on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

The United Nations Stabilisation Mission In Haiti , also known as MINUSTAH, an acronym of the French translation, is a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti that has been in operation since 2004. The mission's military component is led by the Brazilian Army and the force commander is...

(MINUSTAH) supporting the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

force (a joint Brazilian, Uruguayan

Military of Uruguay

The Armed Forces of Uruguay consist of an army, navy, and air force. These three branches are constitutionally subordinate to the president through the Minister of Defense...

, Chilean

Military of Chile

Chile's armed forces are subject to civilian control exercised by the president through the Minister of Defense. Military service of 12 to 24 months is mandatory for all male citizens upon turning 18. This conscription service can be postponed for educational or religious reasons...

and Argentine

Military of Argentina

The Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, in Spanish Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina, are controlled by the Commander-in-Chief and a civilian Minister of Defense...

force) deployed there.

Also, the FAB has worked on the Search & Rescue mission of Air France flight AF447.
The Brazilian Air Force has started a search and rescue from the Brazilian archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, highlighting eight planes to search a stretch bounded by the coastal cities of Recife

Recife

Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...

, Natal

Natal, Rio Grande do Norte

-History:The northeastern tip of South America, Cabo São Roque, to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, in the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci, who named the spot after the saint of the day...

and the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.

SIVAM

FAB is responsible for the aerospace vigilance and defence on program Sistema de Vigilância da Amazônia (Amazon Surveillance System).

Current aircraft

Retired Aircraft

Boeing 737-200
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...

retired 2010
EMB-326 Xavante
Aermacchi MB-326
The Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 is a light military jet aircraft designed in Italy. Originally conceived as a two-seat trainer, there have also been single and two-seat light attack versions produced. It is one of the most commercially successful aircraft of its type, being bought by more than 10...

retired 2010
DHC-5 Buffalo retired 2008
Dassault Mirage III
Dassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...

retired 2005
Hawker Siddeley HS 748 retired 2005

Missiles, bombs and rockets

{ style="font-size:100%;" Type Product On order Origin Aircraft Anti-tank Missile 9M120 Ataka-V

9M120 Ataka-V

The AT-9 Spiral-2 is the NATO reporting name for the 9M120 Ataka-V SACLOS radio guided anti-tank missile system of the Soviet Union. It is the next major generation in the 9K114 Shturm family...

High explosive anti-tank AH-2 (Mi-35M) Anti-ship missile

Anti-ship missile

Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing...

MAN-1

MAN-1- is an anti-ship missile in development by MECTRON and the Brazilian Navy.It will be an anti-ship missile with a 60-70 km range.-History:...

It will be an anti-ship missile with a 60–80 km range. A-1M Anti-ship missile

Anti-ship missile

AGM-84 Harpoon Harpoon Block I air-launched missile P-3M Air to air missile A-Darter

A-Darter (missile)

The A-Darter is a fifth generation short range infrared homing air-to-air missile, under development by South Africa's Denel Dynamics and Brazil's Mectron. It is expected to enter service with the South African Air Force, Brazilian Air Force and be offered for export...

5° Generation Air to Air missile / - Air to air missile Mectron MAA-1 Piranha

Mectron MAA-1 Piranha

The MAA-1 Piranha 1 is a short-range infrared homing missile and the first air-to-air missile developed by Brazil for its Air Force and Navy. It was designed to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles in Brazilian service and has since been exported to Colombia and Pakistan.-History:Development of an...

Short range Air to Air missile F-5M, A-29, A-1M Air to air missile MAA-1B

MAA-1B

MAA-1B is a Brazilian air to air missile produced by Mectron. The project is under development, it will be a 4th generation missile.-Development:MAA-1B is in the final stage of development...

"Piranha B" This new version of the Piranha, fits as a 4th generation missile with "off boresigh", about 90°, and a greater range of 50% - Anti-radiation missile

Anti-radiation missile

An anti-radiation missile is a missile which is designed to detect and home on an enemy radio emission source. Typically these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communication can also be targeted in this manner.- Air-to-Ground :Most ARM designs...

MAR-1

MAR-1 is an anti-radiation missile developed by Brazil's Mectron and the Aerospace Technical Center of the Brazilian Air Force .-Development and design:...

Brazilian anti-radiation missile (ARM) A-1M, F-5M Air to air missile Derby Beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile F-5M Air to air missile Python -3 and -4 Short range air-to-air missile F-5M Air to air missile R550 Magic

R550 Magic

The R.550 Magic is a short-range missile designed in 1968 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder. On 11 January 1972, a Gloster Meteor of the centre for in-flight trials fired the R550 Magic and shot down a Nord CT20 target drone .Mass-produced from 1976, the Magic...

Short-range Mirage 2000 Air to air missile Super 530

Super 530

The Matra Super 530 is a French short to medium-range air-to-air missile. The Super 530 series is an improved type of the Matra R530 missile.*Super 530F is carried on the Dassault Mirage F1. It was introduced in 1979....

Short-range Mirage 2000 Cluster Bomb

Cluster bomb

A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller sub-munitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles...

BLG-252

BLG-252 is a Brazilian cluster bomb, with the load of 248 submunitions with mixed effect antitank / mines.-Operation:After the release, in a safe distance, the bomb opens its covering shells. The opening of the shells occurs by the action of a charge, driven by mechanical time fuses, located on the...

Bomb A-1, A-29, F-5M, AT-27 Incendiary bomb BINC-300

BINC-300

BINC-300, Brazilian incendiary bomb. The bomb utilizes Napalm. Its main goal is to be used against flammable targets such as munitions and fuel depots, parking lots, aircraft and refineries. Constructed in steel, has reinforced areas capable of supporting the efforts during the flight. The tank is...

Bomb A-1, A-29, F-5M, AT-27 Guided bombs Elbit Lizard Laser Guided Bomb A-1M, F-5M Guided bombs SMKB-82/83 GPS Guided Bomb (known like AKAUAN) A-1, F-5M, A-29 Guided bombs Mark 83 bomb

Mark 83 bomb

The Mark 83 is part of the Mark 80 series of low-drag general-purpose bombs in United States service.-Development & deployment:The nominal weight of the bomb is 1,000 lb , although its actual weight varies between 985 lb and 1,030 lb , depending on fuze options, and fin configuration...

GPS Guided Bomb (known like AKAUAN) A-1, F-5M, A-29 Guided bombs Mark 82 bomb

Mark 82 bomb

The Mark 82 is an unguided, low-drag general-purpose bomb, part of the U.S. Mark 80 series. The explosive filling is tritonal.-Development and deployment:...

GPS Guided Bomb (known like AKAUAN) A-1, F-5M, A-29 Rocket

Rocket

A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...

s Avibras Skyfire 70 Rocket Air-to-Surface/Surface-to-Air A-29, A-1 Rockets SBAT-70/127 Rocket Air-to-Surface/Surface-to-Air AT-27, A-29, P-95 Rockets S-8 rocket

S-8 rocket

The S-8 is a rocket weapon developed by the Soviet Air Force for use by military aircraft. It remains in service with the Russian Air Force and various export customers....

Rocket Air-to-Surface/Surface-to-Air (Mi-35M) AH-2 (Mi-35M)

Machine guns and automatic cannon

{ style="font-size:100%;" Type Product On order Origin Aircraft Automatic cannon DEFA cannon

DEFA cannon

The DEFA cannon is a family of widely used French-made aircraft revolver cannons firing the standard 30 mm caliber NATO rounds.-Design history:...

30mm single-barrel Mirage 2000, A-1M Automatic cannon M-39 20mm single-barrel F-5M Machine Gun

Machine gun

A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....

M-2 12,7mm single barrel heavy machine gun A-29, AT-27 Machine Gun

Machine gun

Minigun

The Minigun is a 7.62 mm, multi-barrel heavy machine gun with a high rate of fire , employing Gatling-style rotating barrels with an external power source...

7,62mm multi-barrel heavy machine gun H-60L Machine Gun

Machine gun

FN MAG

The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...

7.62 mm general purpose machine gun H-34 Super Puma Automatic cannon GSh-23L NPPU-23 movable mounting AH-2 (Mi-35M)

Pistols and rifles

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Platform
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| HK33 || || Rifle

Rifle

A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...

|| || Will be replaced by IMBEL

IMBEL

IMBEL is an acronym for Indústria de Material Bélico do Brasil a Brazilian state company, founded in 1975 as a quango of the Ministry of Defence....

IA2 ||
|-----
| SIG SG 550

SIG SG 550

The SG 550 is an assault rifle manufactured by Swiss Arms AG of Neuhausen, Switzerland...

Switzerland || Assault Rifle

Assault rifle

An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...

|| || Used by Para Sar ||
|-----
| Taurus

Taurus

Taurus is Latin for "Bull" and may refer to:* Taurus , one of the constellations of the zodiac* Bull , the mythological references around Taurus* Taurus , the astrological sign* Bos taurus, a species of cattle...

MT-12 || || Submachinegun ||M-972||
|-----
| Taurus PT-92 || || Pistol

Pistol

When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...

||M-975||
|-----
| HK PSG1 || || Sniper || || Commands used by the Air Force, Para-SAR ||
|-----
| M2 Browning || || Machine gun

Machine gun

|| ||
|-----
| FN MAG

FN MAG

|| || Machine gun

Machine gun

|| ||
|-----
| CBC/Boito 12 gauge || || Shotgun

Shotgun

A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...

|| ||
|-----
| AR-15

AR-15

The AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials....

|| || Assault Rifle

Assault rifle

An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...

|| ||
|-----
|}

Radar

Saber Radar

The Saber Radar, is a project of the Brazilian Army, with the objective of developing 100% Brazilian technology Air defense Radars. They are being developed by CTEx and OrbiSat, a Brazilian company, with funds from the Ministry of Science and Technology...

|| || Radar|| 4 || in test Purchased pilot lot with range of 60 km to 75 km
|-----
|}

Air Defence Systems

Surface-to-air missile

A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...

|| 28 || SA-18
|-----
|}

The Brazilian Army

Brazilian Army

also operates rotary-wing aircraft, while the Brazilian Navy

Brazilian Navy

The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...

operates both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.

External links

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