Brazilian Air Force

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Military of Brazil

Components Army Air Force Navy Ranks of the Brazilian Military Military ranks of Brazil History of the Brazilian Military Military history of Brazil

The Brazilian Air Force (Portuguese: Força Aérea Brasileira, FAB) is the air force branch of the Brazilian armed forces.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Formation 1.2 Post World War II 1.3 Cold War 1.4 Present 2 Command Structure 3 Air Units Organization 4 Operations 5 SIVAM 6 Aircraft inventory 7 Notes 8 See also 9 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Formation

FAB was founded on January 20, 1941 in response to a growing number of German submarines on the Brazilian coast in the beginning of World War II.

Equipped with American airplanes, mainly the P-47 Thunderbolt, the FAB saw action on the Italian front, earning respect for its high number of sorties flown and the hard work of both pilots and support personnel.

[edit] Post World War II

After the war, the FAB began operating the British Gloster Meteor jet fighter. The jets were purchased from the British with 15,000 tons of crude cotton, as the Brazilian Republic had no foreign currency reserves to spare. The jet was operated by the FAB until the 1970s, when it was replaced by the Northrop F-5 Tiger. The FAB also had in its squads the F-80C and TF-33A, which were later replaced by the F-5 and Mirage III jets.

[edit] Cold War

During the Cold War, the Brazilian Republic was an ally of the United States and NATO. This meant that the F-5 could be bought cheaply from the United States, who practically sponsored this jet as the "Freedom Fighter". Many other countries, such as Mexico, also benefited from this policy.

The now successful Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica, Brazilian Aeronautic Co.) has its origins as an enterprise directly managed and sponsored by FAB. Working with Italian corporations, it developed the new AMX fighter which makes up the backbone of the FAB's attack force nowadays. The successful Tucano T-27 trainer and the new light attack aircraft "A-29," are also developments from Embraer.

[edit] Present

The FAB is looking for a new jet fighter to replace its aging Mirage III. The former competitors were the General Dynamics F-16, the Dassault-Embraer Mirage 2000-BR, the SAAB-BAE Gripen, and the Sukhoi Su-35. The project, known as the F-X project, was cancelled. The FAB high command alleges that most competitors will soon become obsolete, and the government states that the money is needed for fighting poverty.

Some rumors circulated about the FAB and Embraer joining the French fighter programme Dassault Rafale. Other rumors stated the FAB made a deal with Sukhoi and Avibras in order to obtain Sukhoi Su-35 fighters and its technology as soon as they start being manufactured in large scale. However, until these rumors can be confirmed, or another program initiated, the Brazilian Air Force will need a step fighter, for the Mirage III has been retired in 2005. The F-5 (currently being upgraded by Embraer) is an option, since many F-5s in good condition are spoiling in the inventory of other nations, available for low prices. However, the Brazilian government recently bought one squadron (12 units) of used Mirage 2000s from the French. Rafale, EF-2000 and SU-35 are the preferred aircraft of Brazilian pilots, but the Brazilian Air Force's lack of funds may change the result.

[edit] Command Structure

The Brazilian Air Force is the aerospace branch of the Brazilian armed forces and is managed by the "Comando da Aeronáutica” (COMAer). The COMAer was created in 1999 ^[1] and replaced the “Ministério da Aeronáutica” (Ministry of Aeronautics). Now, the COMAer is one of the three armed forces currently assigned to the “Ministério da Defesa” (ministries of defense).

The COMAer is lead by the "Comandante da Aeronáutica" (Commander of Aeronautics). Unlike USAF, the "Comandante da Aeronáutica" is a “Tenente-Brigadeiro-do-Ar” (the most senior rank currently 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 "Ministro da Defesa" (Minister of Defense).

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

Besides COMGAR, other major parallel organizations, which also report directly to the COMAer, are the “Comando-Geral de Apoio” (COMGAP or Support Command), “Comando-Geral do Pessoal” (COMGEP or Personnel Command), “Comando-Geral de Tecnologia Aeroespacial” (DEPED or R&D Department), “Departamento de Ensino da Aeronáutica” (DEPENS or Training Department), “Departamento de Aviação Civil” (DAC or Civil Aviation Departament) and “Departamento de Controle do Espaço Aéreo” (DECEA or Airspace and Traffic Control Departament).

[edit] Air Units Organization

At unit levels, "Grupo" (wings) usually comprise of one to sixteen consecutively-numbered "Esquadrões" (squadrons), each with varying numbers of aircraft, usually from six to 12. Smaller formations are known as "Esquadrilhas" (flights). According to its tasks, a "Grupo" has the following designations:

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

Commom used designations for squadrons are:

• ETA - Esquadrão de Transporte Aéreo: General transport
• EIA - Esquadrão de Instrução Aérea: Basic and advanced training
• EDA - Esquadrão de Demonstração Aérea (also called "Esquadrilha da Fumaça"): Demonstration flying team. (much like the "USN Blue Angels" or the "USAF Thunderbirds"

The air units are organized as follows:

COMGAR sub-formation	Air unit	Aircraft type	Air base
I FAe	1º/5º GAv	C-95	Fortaleza
	2º/5º GAv	A-29A,A-29B	Natal
	1º/11º GAv	UH-50	Santos
II FAe	1º/7º GAv	P-95B	Salvador
	2º/7º GAv	P-95B	Florianópolis
	3º/7º GAv	P-95A	Belém
	4º/7º GAv	P-95A	Santa Cruz
	1º/8º GAv	UH-1H	Belém
	2º/8º GAv	UH-50	Recife
	3º/8º GAv	CH-34	Campo dos Afonsos
	5º/8º GAv	UH-1H	Santa Maria
	7º/8º GAv	UH-1H,H-60L	Manaus
	2º/10º GAv	UH-1H,SC-95B	Campo Grande
III FAe	1º GAvCa	F-5E,AT-27	Santa Cruz
	1º GDA	F-2000,AT-26,AT-27	Anápolis
	1º/3º GAv	AT-27	Boa Vista
	2º/3º GAv	AT-27,A-29A	Porto Velho
	3º/3º GAv	AT-27	Campo Grande
	1º/4º GAv	AT-26	Natal
	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
	1º/16º GAv	A-1,A-1B	Santa Cruz
V FAe	1º GTT	C-130E/H	Campo dos Afonsos
	1º/1º GT	C-130H/KC-130H	Galeão
	1º/2º GAv	C-99	Galeão
	2º/2º GAv	KC-137	Galeão
	1º/9º GAv	C-115	Manaus
	1º/15º GAv	C-95B	Campo Grande
I COMAR	1º ETA	C-95B,C-98	Belém
II COMAR	2º ETA	C-95	Recife
III COMAR	3º ETA	C-95B,C-97	Galeão
IV COMAR	4º ETA	C-95A	São Paulo
V COMAR	5º ETA	C-95A	Canoas
VI COMAR	6º ETA	C-95c, VU-9,VC-97	Brasília
VII COMAR	7º ETA	C-95B,C-97,C-98	Manaus

Other air units are:

major component	Air unit	Aircraft type	Air base
DECEA	GEIV	EC-95B/C,EU-93/A	Santos Dumont
DEPED	GEEV	A-1,XU-93,T-27,CH-55	São José deos 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	Suport	C-95A, UH-50,U-7	Pirassununga
Reporting direct to Air Force cabinet	GTE	VC-1A,VC-96,VU-93,VH-34,VH-55	Brasília
Reporting direct to Air Force cabinet	EDA	T-27	Pirassununga

[edit] Operations

One of the most recent operations 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 and Brazilian Federal Police with many drug dealers being arrested as a result. The AMX Bomber/Fighter was the primary plane used in this operation.

The FAB is currently working on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) supporting the United Nations force (a joint Brazilian, Uruguaian and Argentinian force) currently deployed there.

[edit] SIVAM

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

[edit] Aircraft inventory

The FAB operates a total of 729 aircraft, including 165 main combat aircraft and 91 helicopters. 479 of the force's aircraft, comprising nearly 66% of the total force, were manufactured in Brazil, including 107 combat aircraft (65%) and 35 helicopters (38%).

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[2]	Notes
Airbus A319	European Union	VIP Transport	VC-1A	1
AMX International AMX	Brazil	attack/reconnaissance lead-in trainer	A-1A A-1B	42 11
Beechcraft King Air	United States	staff transport	Beech 90	1
Bell 205	United States	utility helicopter	UH-1H	44
Bell 206 Jet Ranger	United States	utility helicopter	H-4B (206B)	3
Boeing 707	United States	tanker/transport	KC-137 (707-320C)	4
Boeing 737-200	United States	VIP transport	VC-96 (737-200)	2
British Aerospace BAe 125-400	United Kingdom	Calibration/VIP Transport/Flight test	EU-93/VU-93/XU-93	10
Cessna 208 Caravan	United States	utility	C-98 (208A) C-98B (208B)	8 10
Dassault Mirage 2000	France	interceptor lead-in trainer	F-2000C F-2000B	4	Total of 12 to be delivered by 2008
de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo	Canada	transport	C-115 (DHC-5A)	13
EADS/CASA C-212 Aviocar	Spain	transport			Order for 50 placed
EADS/CASA C-295	Spain	transport	C-105A	2	Order for 12 placed
Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante	Brazil	utility transport transport aerial survey maritime patrol	TOTAL C-95/P-95/R-95 C-95/A/B/EC-95/SC-95B C-95C (EMB 110P1K) RC-95 (EMB 110B) P-95A/B (EMB-111)	88 59 5 5 19
Embraer EMB 120 Brasília	Brazil	transport VIP transport VIP transport	TOTAL C-97 C-97 (EMB 120) VC-97 (EMB 120ER) VC-97 (EMB 120RT)	17 9 3 5
Embraer EMB 121 Xingu	Brazil	VIP transport	VU-9	8
Embraer ERJ 145 family	Brazil	transport/VIP transport airborne early warning remote sensing	C-99 (ERJ-145ER) R-99A R-99B	7 5 3
Embraer EMB 210R Ipanema	Brazil	utility	U-19	2
Embraer EMB 312 Tucano	Brazil	trainer/light attack	AT/T-27	109
Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano	Brazil	attack	A-29A/B	30	Total of 99 to be delivered
Embraer EMB 326GB Xavante	Brazil	trainer/attack	AT-26/A	24	Being withdrawn
Embraer EMB 810 Seneca II/III	Brazil	utility	U-7/7A (EMB 810C)	9
Eurocopter AS 332 Cougar	France	transport helicopter VIP helicopter	CH-34 (AS 332M) VH-34	8 1
Learjet 35	United States	VIP transport special mission	VC-35 R-35A	3 9
Learjet 55	United States	VIP transport	VU-55C	1
Glasflügel H-201B	Germany	Training glider	Z-15	1
Helibras HB 350B	Brazil	utility helicopter	H-50	25
Helibras HB-355	Brazil	utility helicopter	H-55	10
IPAE Quero-quero		trainer	Z-16	6
LET Blanick L-13/L-23/L-33 Solo	Czech Republic	trainer	TZ-13 (L-13) TZ-13 (L-23) TZ-13 (L-33)	3 4 2
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	United States	transport tanker	C-130E/H KC-130H	21 2
Lockheed P-3 Orion	United States	maritime patrol	P-3M (P-3BR)		8 on order
Neiva Regente	Brazil	liaison	U-42	21	Being withdrawn
Neiva T-25 Universal	Brazil	basic trainer	T-25A/B/C	68
Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II	United States	fighter lead in trainer	F-5E F-5F	50 6	Modernization to F-5M standard in progress
Piper PA-32	United States	utility		1
Raytheon Hawker 800XP	United Kingdom	calibration	EU-93A	4
Schleicher ASW 20	Germany	Training glider	Z-20	1
Sikorsky S-70	United States	combat search and rescue	H-60L		Total of 6 to be delivered

FAB is not the sole military aircraft operator in Brazil, as both the Brazilian Army and Brazilian Navy operate their own fleets of aircraft for support of those services. The army's fleet consists of 82 helicopters, while the navy operates 23 carrier-based attack jets and 71 helicopters.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Lei complementar n^o97 de 9 de junho de 1999
2. ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.

[edit] See also

• Brazilian Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron - Esquadrilha da Fumaça
• Brazilian Navy
• Brazilian Army

[edit] External links

• Brazilian Air Force official Web site (Portuguese)
• Scramble.nl's Brazilian Air Force page
• History of Brazilian Air Force in World War II (Portuguese)