Surveillance and protect, 24 hours a day, an area of approximately 13,5 million square kilometers. This is the mission of the three Squadrons that make up the Patrol Aviation of the Brazilian Air Force.
On May 22, 1942, Brazilian pilots used a B-25 Mitchell aircraft to attack, during World War II, the Italian submarine Barbarigo, which, four days earlier, had launched torpedoes against the Brazilian merchant ship Comandante Lyra, which resulted in Brazil's entry into the conflict. From then on, the FAB started to cover the entire national coastline.
Patrolling
It is up to Patrol Aviation, for example, to monitor the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone, located in the Atlantic Ocean, where the largest national oil reserves are found.
The Commander of the Third Squadron of the Seventh Aviation Group (3rd/7th GAV), Lieutenant Colonel Aviator Ciro Appip Lambiase, explained that, in these areas, the most outstanding actions are Maritime Patrol and Search and Rescue (SAR).
“In this way, we managed to control the area over the Atlantic Ocean and defend our coastline, contributing to the mission of the Air Force and to the Brazilian nation”, scored.
In several actions, the 3rd/7th GAV, located in Belém (PA), is called upon to act in the inspection of illegal activities by vessels or in environmental accidents.
It was during a training mission, in 2021, that the Neptune Squadron was informed by the Brazilian Navy (MB) that there was a vessel stranded on a sandbar at the mouth of the Tocantins River. After receiving the coordinates of the possible accident area, the pilots left the training region and engaged in the search for the vessel. The information was ed on to the MB Patrol Ship, which went to the area and rescued the crew.
Still within the Patrol mission, it is also up to the Second Squadron of the Seventh Aviation Group (2nd/7th GAV), located in Canoas (RS), to monitor the Brazilian territorial sea, detecting, locating and identifying national and/or foreign vessels in coordination with the MB, allowing measures to be taken against vessels engaged in illicit activities, such as dumping pollutants, smuggling or illegal fishing.
“The Phoenix Squadron has exercised ostensive patrolling of Brazilian jurisdictional waters, in order to avoid the involvement of illicit and predatory acts. In addition, it maintains teams ready and permanently on call, which carry out the Search and Rescue Action”, explained Phoenix Squadron Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Aviator Alexandre Tadeu Ferreira da Silva.
Interception
In March 2022, the Aerospace Operations Command (COMAE) engaged one of the Patrol Aviation Squadrons to carry out Operation Atlântico, tly with the Navy, from Salvador Air Base.
The operation consisted of routine flights ostensively patrolling the Brazilian coast. However, the mission soon evolved into a relentless search for an alleged vessel suspected of involvement with smuggling.
During the action, which lasted a few days, the crew of the P-95 Bandeirulha aircraft obtained positive visual with the vessel suspected of illicit involvement, whose position was immediately ed on to the naval environment involved.
Consequently, in a coordinated action with the Federal Police, MB, using its Imperial Sailor Class Corvette, intercepted the vessel and took it to the Port of Salvador. After apprehending the cargo, it was found that the vessel was smuggling around 90 tons of cigarettes of unknown origin.
Surveillance aboard the P-3 aircraft
It is on board the P-3 AM Orion aircraft that the First Squadron of the Seventh Aviation Group (1st/7th GAV), located in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), also operates to guard the national coast.
In 2021, the year that marked the 10th anniversary of the aircraft's incorporation into the FAB, the Akaer Group delivered the first pair of fully revitalized P-3 wings. The procedure sought to extend the useful life of the aircraft by replacing several primary elements of the wings, such as upper coverings, front and rear spars, upper and lower s, among other actions.
“Patrol Aviation is an essential part of maintaining national security, because, thanks to the characteristics of our P-3AM Orion multi-mission aircraft, we guarantee Brazil a great deterrent power, with the resumption of anti-submarine warfare capacity. We can employ a range of torpedoes as well as Harpoon anti-ship missiles.”, highlighted the Commander of the 1st/7th GAV, Lieutenant Colonel Aviator Cicero Vieira Ramos.
Harpoon Missile
Equipping the P-3 aircraft, the Harpoon missile came to further aid in the protection of the Brazilian territorial sea. With more than 124 km of range, the armament is 3,8 meters long and weighs 526 kilos and is powered by a turbine, reaching a speed of 850 km/h.
The missile uses data from the launch aircraft's systems to calculate and correct the route to the target. Once launched, the Harpoon flies close to the sea to avoid detection.
The warhead alone has 226 kilograms of explosive material, enough for the Harpoon to cause damage to sink a ship.
With the Harpoon and other tools that make up the Patrol Aviation, the FAB now has a game changer system for patrolling and defense, offering ample power of deterrence and unquestionable combat capacity to the aircraft that monitor and protect the national territory.
Street: Brazilian air force
