Editor's Foreword

ABU 6: 1 Almirante Graca Aranah (lighthouse tender); 5
Comandante Varella
ATF 5: 3 Tritao; 2 Almirante Guihem
TPT 2: 1 Paraguassu; 1 Piraim (river transports)
TRG 4
AXL 3 Nascimento
AXS 1
naval Aviation 1,387
FORCES By ROLE
FGA 1 sqn with 20 A-4 Skyhawk/A-4MB Skyhawk/
TA-4 Skyhawk; 3 TA-4MB Skyhawk
ASW 1 sqn with 4 SH-3G Sea King/SH-3H Sea King
Utl 1 sqn with 7 AS-332 Super Puma; 4 sqn with
18 AS-350 Ecureuil (armed); 8 AS-355 Ecureuil
(armed)
Atk Hel 1 sqn with 12 Mk21A Lynx
Trg 1 sqn with 18 TH-57 Sea Ranger
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
AIRCRAFT 23 combat capable
FGA 20 A-4 Skyhawk FGA/A-4MB Skyhawk FGA/TA-4
Skyhawk trg*
TRG 3 TA-4MB Skyhawk*
HELICOPTERS
ASW 16: 12 Mk21A Lynx; 4 SH-3G/SH-3H Sea King; (4
S-70B Seahawk on order)
SPT 33: 7 AS-332 Super Puma; 18 AS-350 Ecureuil
(armed); 8 AS-355 Ecureuil (armed); (16 EC-725 on
order)
TRG 18 TH-57 Sea Ranger
MSL • ASM: AM-39 Exocet; Sea Skua
Marines 15,520
FORCES By ROLE
Amph 1 (Fleet Force) div (1 comd bn, 1 arty gp, 3 inf
bn)
SF 1 bn
Marine 8+ (Regional) gp; 3 bn
Engr 1 bn
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
LT TK 18 SK-105 Kuerassier
RECCE 6 EE-9 Cascavel
APC 35
APC (T) 30 M-113
APC (W) 12 Piranha IIIC (additional 18 on order)
AAV 25: 13 AAV-7A1; 12 LVTP-7
ARTY 49+
TOWED 41: 105mm 33: 18 L-118 Light Gun; 15 M-101;
155mm 8 M-114
MOR 18 81mm
AT
MSL• MANPATS RB-56 Bill
RCL 106mm 8 M-40A1
RL 89mm M-20
AD • GUNS 40mm 6 L/70 (with BOFI)
Latin America and the Caribbean
71
Air Force 70,710
COMDABRA (aerospace defence), plus three general cmds
– COMGAR (operations), COMGAP (logistics), COMGEP
(personnel).
Brazilian air space is divided into 7 air regions, each of
which is responsible for its designated air bases.
Air assets are divided among five designated air forces
for operations (one temporarily deactivated).
I Air Force (HQ Natal) operates 3 avn gps (1º/5 th ,
2º/5 th and 1º/11 th GAV) and a Tactical Training Group
(GITE) providing Air Combat Training for A-29A/B
Super Tucano and A-27 Tucano aircraft. I Air Force also
operates AT-26 Xavante, C-95 Bandeirante and UH-50
Esquilo helicopters.
II Air Force (HQ Rio de Janeiro) has some 240 aircraft
organised into 3 Aviation Groups (7 th , 8 th and 10 th GAVs).
7 th GAV, responsible for Coastal Patrol, operates P-95A/B
Bandeirulhas armed for ASV and ASW from 4 air bases. 8 th
and 10 th GAVs, with H-60L Blackhawk, H-1H, Super Puma
and Esquilo helicopters, are dedicated to SAR/utility, tpt
ops and spec ops.
III Air Force (HQ Brasilia) 1 st Air Defence Group is
equipped with F-5EM/F-5BR Tiger II, AT-27 Tucano armed
trainers and Mirage 2000B/C. The main light attack/
armed recce force, with anti-narcotic and anti-terrorist
roles, comprises 5 air groups with A-29 Super Tucano,
AT-26 Xavante and A-1A/B; 6 th GAV, with 5 EMB-145
AEW, 3 EMB-145RS and 5 R-95 electronic recce aircraft,
is responsible for electronic surveillance, AEW and
reconnaissance.
V Air Force (HQ Rio de Janeiro) operates some 160 air
transport and flight refuelling aircraft from 5 air bases.
Two tpt gps operate C-295M, ERJ-135/ERJ-145, EMB-190
transports, C/KC-130E/H Hercules tkr/tpts and KC-137
tankers.
FORCES By ROLE
AD Ftr 1 gp with F-2000B/C, F-5EM, RC-95, R-99 and
R-99A; 3 sqn with F-5EM/AT-27
FGA 2 sqn with A-1A/B; 4 sqn with A-29A/B; 1 sqn
with AT-26; 3 sqn with A-27
Recce 1 sqn with A-1A/B; 1 sqn with RT-26
AWACS 1 sqn with R-99A/B
MP 4 sqn with P-95A/ P-95B
Tkr 1 sqn with KC-130, 1 sqn with KC-137
Tpt 1 sqn with VC-96, VC-1A, VC-99A/B, VU-35;
1 sqn with VC-97, VU-9; 2 sqn with C-97; CH/
VH-55, 9 sqn with C-95A/B/C and R-95; 1
sqn with R-35A; 1 sqn with C-99, 3 sqn with
C-130H/E, 2 sqn with C-98; 1 sqn with C-105A
Hel 4 sqn with H-1H; 1 sqn with H-34 (VIP) and
EC-135; 2 sqn with H-50/H-55; 1 sqn with H-60L
Trg 1 sqn with T-25, 3 sqn with T-27 ( incl. 1 air
show sqn)
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
AIRCRAFT 334 combat aircraft
FTR 67: 12 F-2000 (Mirage 2000B/C); 49 F-5EM/FM; 6
F-5E
Latin America
and Caribbean