The history of Brazilian Skyhawks took its first step with the g of Presidential Decree No. 2538, of April 8, 1998, known as the “Fixed Wing Law”, which allowed the Brazilian Navy to operate fixed wing aircraft after almost 50 years of restrictions.
The Navy quickly stipulated the requirements for the aircraft: maritime strike capability, good range and the ability to operate from land bases and aircraft carriers. The competition included four jets: the American Vought A-7 Corsair II and McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, the British Aerospace Harrier and the French Dassault Super Étendard.
Although the Super Étendard was preferred by the Navy, due to the armed forces' previous experience with the maintenance and operation of Dassault aircraft – at the time, the FAB operated the Mirage III – and the enormous capacity of these aircraft (proven in the Falklands War), the price requested for the aircraft was considered too high for the limited resources available.
The same factor contributed to the BAE Harrier also dropping out of the race, while the A-7 Corsair II, despite its attractive price and good capacity, proved to be too heavy and large to operate aboard the old Brazilian aircraft carrier NAeL Minas Gerais.
Thus, the choice fell on the small and capable A-4 Skyhawk. The most attractive models available on the market were a batch of 23 units, manufactured between 1977 and 1978, and which were among the last A-4s produced by McDonnell-Douglas.
The models belonged to the A-4M Skyhawk II family, being a special export version for the Kuwait Air Force, under the designation A-4KU. The differences between the two models were the simplification of the avionics, in addition to the removal of the capability of using nuclear and tactical weapons, such as the Shrike anti-radiation missile and the Walleye smart bomb.
Although considered “semi-new”, the A-4KUs had had an eventful life, withstanding the adverse weather conditions of the Arabian desert for two decades. In addition, these aircraft actively participated in combat for the Kuwaiti Air Force, especially during the Gulf War, before reaching the hands of the Brazilian military.
The transaction between Brazil and Kuwait was brokered by the United States, with the deal valued at US$70 million at the time. The package included 20 single-seat A-4KUs and three two-seat TA-4KUs.
INTRODUCTION INTO SERVICE
The aircraft arrived in Brazil on September 5, 1998, packed and unloaded in Arraial do Cabo, on the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Once customs procedures were resolved, the aircraft were transferred to the São Pedro da Aldeia Naval Air Base (BAeNSPA), the nerve center of the naval force's air units.
Receiving the models would be just the first step in the process, which would culminate in the formal creation of the 1st Interception and Attack Aircraft Squadron (EsqdVF-1), designated as “Esquadrão Falcão”, in October 1998.
Other external factors were running parallel to the receipt of the aircraft, such as the assembly of all the infrastructure necessary for the arrival and operation of the planes, including adjustments to the physical structure of BAeNSPA itself, construction of the hangar, istrative building, renovation and expansion of the landing and take-off runway, acquisition of equipment and the selection and training of the Enlisted Personnel and Officers of the new Air Unit.
Along with the base, the aircraft would undergo a huge process of reassembly and checking of all components, which would only be completed in early 2000. In addition, the ex-Kuwaiti aircraft underwent other changes, to adapt to their new owners. The first of these was their renaming: the A-4KUs received the designation AF-1 “Falcon”, while the TA-4KUs became the AF-1As.
Next came a cosmetic change. Due to their previous owners, the A-4s arrived in Brazil with a desert camouflage pattern of brown and sand, which obviously did not meet the standards and requirements of the Brazilian Navy. So a good coat of paint in three shades of gray and the placement of the green-yellow-blue tricolor insignia over the engine gave the model the finishing touches before initial flight tests.
Due to a lack of specialized personnel to pilot the model in Brazil, the Navy subcontracted American pilots to carry out the first tests, while the first group of VF-1 pilots underwent training in Brazil, Argentina and the USA. The first flight of the renamed AF-1 “Falcão” took place on March 27, 2000, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel (USMC) James Edwin Rogers.
In May, it was the turn of Brazilian Navy pilots to take to the skies, with Naval Aviator Lieutenant Commander José Vicente de Alvarenga Filho becoming the first MB Pilot to fly the A-4/AF-1 over national territory.
OPERATING FROM AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
As the VF-1 squadron gained experience and volume in operations at BAeNSPA, attesting to its maximum operational capacity at the end of 2000, it was time for the next step in the unit's evolution: the adaptation of the squadron for its original purpose, which was to operate from its “floating base”, that is, the aircraft carrier NAeL Minas Gerais (A-11).
Incorporated into the squadron in 1960, the vessel had undergone an extensive renovation in 1999 to accommodate the expected AF-1 operations, since, previously, the most powerful aircraft to operate in the warship had been the Grumman S-2 Tracker (P-16A) turboprops.
Mainly, the modifications to the aircraft carrier focused on the communications system, with the introduction of the Naval Mobile Satellite Communications Station (EMN) integrated with the Military Satellite Communications System (SISCOMIS), in addition to updates to the take-off (catapults) and landing (vectoring and hooks) systems.
The refit was ready for live testing in September 2000, when simulated touch-and-go landings, known as non-arresting hook landings, began to be made by AF-1/A-4s. The first recognized arresting hook landing of an AF-1 aboard Minas Gerais occurred on the CATRAPO mission (catapult-assisted takeoff and landing operations with arresting gear) on January 13, 2001, by Commander (USN) Daniel G. Canin, one of the U.S. military attachés to the AF-1 project.
On the same day, it was the turn of Naval Aviator Captain-Lieutenant Fernando Sousa Vilela to repeat the feat, becoming the first Brazilian Navy pilot to land an A-4 on the aircraft carrier.
Another important milestone was the first catapult-assisted launch operation, which took place on January 18, again with Daniel Canin. From this moment on, the VF-1 squadron would begin to obtain the final certifications necessary to become an integral part of the Navy's air wing, operating on board or from the land base in Arraial do Cabo.
An important fact in the history of these first tests is that the Navy chose not to operate with two-seater aircraft on board the “Minas Gerais” or any other future aircraft carrier, as a way of avoiding premature excessive wear and tear of these valuable cells.
Thus, despite the consequent improvement of Brazilian pilots in the art of operations in “floating bases”, the learning for the VF-1 pilots was not over. After landing and takeoff training in the A-11, the time was approaching for the unit’s operations to transfer to NAeL São Paulo (A-12), the newest aircraft carrier of the squadron, which had been incorporated into active service of the MB in 2000.
This meant that the squadron had to adapt to its new home, which was much more spacious and complex than the old Minas Gerais. However, the news was extremely well received by the pilots, who were aware of the limitations of the old aircraft carrier – and who had also understood that with the A-11, the unit would never have a reasonable number of personnel based overseas.
This was due to a number of factors, including some of a logistical nature, since the training plan for onboard training at NAeL Minas Gerais itself did not provide for a qualification program for staffing the functions in the Aviation Department, but only for boarding training, with the experience of operating the AF-1s; in other words, there was no provision for maintaining a fixed composition of Skyhawks in Minas Gerais.
Second, there were more tangible problems, such as the A-11's own mechanical limitations, such as its low speed, which was a problem for the AF-1's landings and takeoffs, which needed headwinds of close to 30 knots to be able to take off with a reasonable weapons load, in addition to the limited internal storage space of the aircraft carrier.
The introduction of the São Paulo into service promised to solve all these problems, housing a supposed embarked group, which would have in its composition, something with between 10-16 AF-1 “Falcões”. However, as would be proven in the following years, the operational expectation of both the AF-1 and the NAeL São Paulo was well below expectations.
FAREWELL TO THE SEA
It can be said that the AF-1/A-4 operations at NAeL São Paulo were marked by many ups and downs, which began on July 30, 2001 (Operation CATRAPO I), when the first landing of an AF-1 took place on the deck of the battleship. The following day, the first launch of a “Falcão” by catapult from the A-12 was also successful.
Over the next three years, AF-1 operations on the ship proceeded normally, with external cooperation in aircraft maintenance gradually reduced until the entire process was transferred to Brazilian hands. In addition, the period was extremely valuable for VF-1 pilots, who were able to operate alongside their counterparts from other nations in t military exercises, such as the Brazil-Argentina-Uruguay (ARAEX VI/URUEX I, 2002) and Brazil-USA (EX, 2004) operations.
However, this prolific period in the development of Brazilian naval aviation would come to an abrupt end in 2005: on May 17, while the ship was leaving Guanabara Bay for exercises along the coast of Rio de Janeiro, superheated steam from the catapult system leaked, causing a short circuit in the ship and seriously injuring ten crew , in addition to causing the death of one sailor.
This accident gave the first clear indication to the public of a turbulent period that would affect the Navy's air arm in the coming years. However, such signs had already been materializing since late 2004, when the promises about the AF-1s and their operations were shown to be outside of what had previously been stipulated.
Due to the reduced number of AF-1/A-4s and their already clear obsolescence compared to the aircraft models operated by other navies, it is not surprising that the attrition rate gradually reduced the number of AF-1s based at NAeL São Paulo, which were almost always below the nominal minimum of 10 aircraft. The rotation of AF-1s on station had to be high, given the wear and tear that operations on aircraft carriers caused to the valuable models.
Aware of this, the Navy High Command had already begun studies for the implementation of the Mid-Life Upgrade Program (known by the acronym MLU) for aircraft acquired between 1997/98. The initial project envisaged that twelve single-seater AF-1s would be upgraded to the AF-1M standard, with new avionics and a complete revitalization of the nacelle and flight surfaces.
However, problems with the NAeL São Paulo from 2005 onwards, which continued throughout the rest of the aircraft's service life, shelved the initial AF-1 refurbishment projects. The final excuse was that without an aircraft carrier, there was no reason to use funds for aircraft modernization.
Thus, without their maritime base and without modernizations, the AF-1s were restricted to returning to operating only from BAeNSPA, in São Pedro da Aldeia, in mid-2005.
A NEW FALCON TAKES BACK THE SKIES
The years of operation of the VF-1 squadron with the AF-1/1A Falcão demonstrated all the capabilities of the aircraft in fulfilling its missions, which demanded the maximum from the aircraft. However, the constant technological evolution of electronic sensors, weapons and tactics progressively reduced the capacity of the models, which, by the end of the 2000s, were reduced to a merely illustrative role in the list of Navy assets.
Even though they belonged to one of the last A-4 batches produced, the AF-1s were second-generation aircraft, equipped with analog attack and navigation systems. This contrasted greatly with other air and naval forces, which already had fourth and even fifth-generation models in their arsenals.
Thus, in mid-2009, the Navy revived the idea of modernizing the AF-1s, initially planning to submit 12 cells to the process. The contract for the complete reconstruction of the models was signed with Embraer, which offered a proposal similar to that made for the FAB's F-5M.
Budgeted at US$106 million, the agreement between the Brazilian Navy and Embraer Defense and Security exceeded the initial values budgeted by the MB, and, as a result, the number of modernized aircraft went from the original 12 to just seven.
Work began in 2010, with the expectation of completing the program in 2015. However, it would only be in 2022 that the last modernized model would be delivered to the Naval Air Force.
The “AF-1M” program involved the installation of a new Head-Up Display (HUD) system integrated with two multifunction displays (CMFD), with inertial navigation system and data link, throttle lever and flight control stick (HOTAS) type flight control, adoption of a modern ELTA Systems EL/M-2032 pulse-doppler radar, Rohde & Schwarz radios, Elbit Systems radar warning receiver (RWR), in addition to the complete overhaul of all other structural components of the aircraft.
In addition, the aircraft's two 20 mm cannons, located in front of the model's air intakes, were removed due to malfunctions and weight optimization. Despite this, the ability to quickly reinstall the cannons was maintained, if necessary.
Due to the extensive modernization of the fuselages, the “new” aircraft began to receive the following designations: AF-1B for single-seaters and AF-1C for two-seaters. In total, the program included seven aircraft, five of which were upgraded to the AF-1B standard and two to the AF-1C.
In 2025, the composition of VF-1, which is based at the São Pedro da Aldeia base, consists of six aircraft: four AF-1Bs and two AF-1Cs. One of the AF-1Bs was lost in a plane crash in July 2016, a major loss for the already reduced air unit.
Despite this, the unit is currently in full operational activity, actively participating in maneuvers such as CRUZEX and Operation Formosa. With no immediate replacement in sight, the Navy expects the AF-1s to continue flying until 2030, that is, more than 50 years since the original A-4KUs entered service, and 30 as ubiquitous elements of the Brazilian Naval Air Force.
